US2002015879A1PendingUtilityA1

Fuel cell anode structures for voltage reversal tolerance

43
Priority: Aug 23, 1999Filed: Apr 16, 2001Published: Feb 7, 2002
Est. expiryAug 23, 2019(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:John GascoyneShanna KnightsThomas RalphJared L. TaylorDavid P. Wilkinson
H01M 2004/8684H01M 8/04902H01M 4/9075H01M 8/04291H01M 8/04671H01M 10/4235H01M 4/9083H01M 4/90H01M 8/04559H01M 8/1004H01M 4/925H01M 8/04582H01M 4/8605H01M 8/04119H01M 2300/0082H01M 2300/0005H01M 4/926H01M 8/1007Y02E60/10Y02E60/50
43
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Claims

Abstract

An improved fuel cell anode structure comprises a substrate and a first carbon-based component. The first carbon-based component exhibits little or no resistance to corrosion. When said anode structure is incorporated into a membrane electrode assembly, the membrane electrode assembly is tolerant to incidences of cell voltage reversal.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a fuel cell anode structure comprising a substrate and a first carbon-based component comprising a first carbon material, the improvement comprising: 
 said first carbon-based component having substantially no resistance to corrosion.    
     
     
         2 . The improved anode structure of  claim 1  further comprising a second carbon component, said second carbon component being substantially more resistant to corrosion than said first carbon-based component.  
     
     
         3 . The improved anode structure of  claim 1  wherein said substrate is a gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         4 . The improved anode structure of  claim 3  wherein said first carbon-based component is disposed on said gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         5 . The improved anode structure of  claim 3  wherein said first carbon-based component is disposed within said gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         6 . The improved anode structure of  claim 3  further comprising a second carbon component, said second carbon component being substantially more resistant to corrosion than said first carbon-based component.  
     
     
         7 . The improved anode structure of  claim 6  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are mixed and disposed on said gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         8 . The improved anode structure of  claim 6  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are mixed and disposed within said gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         9 . The improved anode structure of  claim 6  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are disposed in separate layers on said gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         10 . The improved anode structure of  claim 6  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are disposed in separate layers within said gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         11 . The improved anode structure of  claim 1  wherein said substrate is a solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         12 . The improved anode structure of  claim 11  wherein said first carbon-based component is disposed on said solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         13 . The improved anode structure of  claim 11  wherein said first carbon-based component is disposed within said solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         14 . The improved anode structure of  claim 11  further comprising a second carbon component, said second carbon component being substantially more resistant to corrosion than said first carbon-based component.  
     
     
         15 . The improved anode structure of  claim 11  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are mixed and disposed on said solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         16 . The improved anode structure of  claim 11  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are mixed and disposed within said solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         17 . The improved anode structure of  claim 11  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are disposed in separate layers on said solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         18 . The improved anode structure of  claim 11  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are disposed in separate layers within said solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         19 . The improved anode structure of  claim 1  wherein said first carbon material has a BET surface area of at least 350 m 2 g −1 .  
     
     
         20 . The improved anode structure of  claim 19  further comprising a second carbon component, said second carbon component being substantially more resistant to corrosion than said first carbon-based component.  
     
     
         21 . The improved anode structure of  claim 19  wherein said substrate is a gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         22 . The improved anode structure of  claim 21  further comprising a second carbon component, said second carbon component being substantially more resistant to corrosion than said first carbon-based component.  
     
     
         23 . The improved anode structure of  claim 22  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are mixed and disposed on said gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         24 . The improved anode structure of  claim 22  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are mixed and disposed within said gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         25 . The improved anode structure of  claim 22  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are disposed in separate layers on said gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         26 . The improved anode structure of  claim 22  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are disposed in separate layers within said gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         27 . The improved anode structure of  claim 20  wherein said substrate is a solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         28 . The improved anode structure of  claim 27  further comprising a second carbon component, said second carbon component being substantially more resistant to corrosion than said first carbon-based component.  
     
     
         29 . The improved anode structure of  claim 28  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are mixed and disposed on said solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         30 . The improved anode structure of  claim 28  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are mixed and disposed within said solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         31 . The improved anode structure of  claim 28  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are disposed in separate layers on said solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         32 . The improved anode structure of  claim 28  wherein said first carbon-based component and said second carbon component are disposed in separate layers within said solid polymer electrolyte.  
     
     
         33 . The improved anode structure of any one of claims  2 ,  6 - 10 ,  14 - 18 ,  20 ,  22 - 26  and  28 - 32  wherein the second carbon component acts as a support for an electrocatalyst material.  
     
     
         34 . The improved anode structure of any one of claims  6 - 10  and  22 - 26  wherein said second carbon component is a carbon fill for said gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         35 . A membrane electrode assembly comprising the improved anode structure of any one of claims  1 - 32 , wherein said membrane electrode assembly is voltage reversal tolerant.  
     
     
         36 . A fuel cell comprising a membrane electrode assembly comprising the improved anode structure of any one of claims  1 - 32 .  
     
     
         37 . A fuel cell comprising the improved anode structure of any one of claims  1 - 32 .  
     
     
         38 . A method of improving tolerance of a fuel cell to voltage reversal, the method comprising incorporating in said fuel cell the improved anode structure of any one of claims  1 - 32 .

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