US2003113604A1PendingUtilityA1

Fuel cell comprising a composite membrane

47
Priority: Nov 14, 1994Filed: Oct 25, 2002Published: Jun 19, 2003
Est. expiryNov 14, 2014(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Bamdad BaharAlex R. HobsonJeffrey A. KoldeRobert S. Mallouk
H01M 50/497H01M 50/489H01M 50/426H01M 50/491Y02E60/10B32B 5/18Y02E60/50C08J 2327/18H01M 8/1039Y02P70/50H01M 8/1067C08J 5/2275Y10T428/31544Y10T428/249978B32B 5/024B32B 5/022Y10T428/249964H01M 8/1023Y10T428/249954C25B 13/08H01M 8/106B32B 7/12H01M 8/1081Y10T428/249958Y10T428/249955B32B 2329/04H01M 8/1062B32B 2327/18B32B 2369/00H01M 8/1044B32B 2377/00
47
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

A fuel cell comprising at least one composite membrane which includes a porous support impregnated with ion exchange resin to make the pores of the support occlusive, wherein the thickness of the composite membrane is less than 0.025 mm. The membrane is strong and has good ionic conductivity. Methods of making the composite membrane are also disclosed.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A fuel cell comprising at least one integral air impermeable composite membrane comprising: 
 at least one polymeric support having a microstructure of micropores, said microstructure defining a porosity in the range of about 70% to 98% within said polymeric support,    at least one ion exchange resin filling said microstructure such that said composite membrane is air impermeable, said composite membrane having a thickness of at most 0.8 mils and an ionic conduction rate of at least 5.1 μmhos/min.    
     
     
         2 . The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric support is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         3 . The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the composite membrane is 0.06 mils to 0.8 mils.  
     
     
         4 . The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the composite membrane is 0.5 mils to 0.8 mils.  
     
     
         5 . The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the composite membrane is at most 0.5 mils.  
     
     
         6 . The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange resin comprises perfluorinated sulfonic acid resin.  
     
     
         7 . The fuel cell of  claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcement backing bonded to a side thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The fuel cell of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the composite membrane is at most 0.5 mils, wherein the polymeric support is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and wherein the ion exchange resin comprises perfluorinated sulfonic acid resin.  
     
     
         9 . The fuel cell of  claim 1 , wherein the microstructure includes nodes interconnected with fibrils.  
     
     
         10 . A fuel cell comprising a substantially air occlusive integral composite membrane having a polymeric support with a microstructure of pores, said microstructure filled with an ion exchange resin, said composite membrane has an ionic conduction rate of at least 5.1 μmhos/min, said composite membrane prepared by, 
 (a) providing a polymeric support having a microstructure of micropores;  
 (b) applying an ion exchange resin solution to said polymeric support; and  
 (c) repeating step (b) until said micropores are sufficiently filled with ion exchange resin to form an air occlusive integral composite membrane.  
 
     
     
         11 . The fuel cell of  claim 10 , wherein said step (b) further includes, 
 (b1) drying said support after each application of ion exchange resin solution to remove solvent from said solution.    
     
     
         12 . The fuel cell according to  claim 10 , wherein said support comprises expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         13 . The fuel cell according to  claim 10 , wherein the composite membrane has a thickness of 0.06 to 0.8 mils.  
     
     
         14 . The fuel cell according to  claim 10 , wherein the composite membrane has a thickness of 0.5 to 0.8 mils.  
     
     
         15 . The fuel cell according to  claim 10 , wherein the composite membrane has a thickness of at most 0.8 mils.  
     
     
         16 . The fuel cell according to  claim 10 , wherein the composite membrane has a thickness of at most 0.5 mils.  
     
     
         17 . The fuel cell according to  claim 10 , wherein the ion exchange resin is a perfluorinated sulfonic acid resin.  
     
     
         18 . The fuel cell according to  claim 17 , wherein the polymeric support is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         19 . The fuel cell according to  claim 18 , wherein the composite membrane has a thickness of at most 0.8 mils.  
     
     
         20 . A fuel cell comprising an integral air impermeable composite membrane comprising: 
 a polymeric support having a microstructure of micropores, said microstructure defining a porosity in the range of about 70% to 98% within said support,    at least one ion exchange resin filling said microstructure such that said composite membrane is air impermeable, said composite membrane having a thickness of at most 0.8 mils.    
     
     
         21 . The fuel cell of  claim 20 , wherein the thickness of said composite membrane is in the range of between 0.06 and 0.8 mils.  
     
     
         22 . The fuel cell of  claim 20 , wherein the thickness of said composite membrane is in the range of between about 0.5 and 0.8 mils.  
     
     
         23 . The fuel cell of  claim 20 , wherein the thickness of said composite membrane is at most 0.5 mils.  
     
     
         24 . The fuel cell of  claim 20 , wherein the polymeric support is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         25 . The fuel cell of  claim 20 , wherein the polymeric support is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and the ion exchange resin is a perfluorinated sulfonic acid resin.  
     
     
         26 . The fuel cell of  claim 20 , wherein said composite membrane is prepared by, 
 (a) providing a polymeric support having a microstructure of micropores;    (b) applying an ion exchange resin solution to said polymeric support; and    (c) repeating step (b) until said micropores are sufficiently filled with ion exchange resin to form an air impermeable composite membrane.    
     
     
         27 . The fuel cell of  claim 20 , wherein the composite membrane is heated at 60° C. to 200° C.  
     
     
         28 . The fuel cell of  claim 20 , wherein the composite membrane is heated at 120° C. to 160° C.  
     
     
         29 . The fuel cell of  claim 28 , wherein the thickness of said composite membrane is in the range of between about 0.5 and 0.8 mils, wherein the polymeric support is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, wherein the ion exchange resin is a perfluorinated sulfonic acid resin, and wherein said composite membrane is prepared by, 
 (a) providing a polymeric support having a microstructure of micropores;    (b) applying an ion exchange resin solution to said polymeric support; and    (c) repeating step (b) until said micropores are sufficiently filled with ion exchange resin to form an air impermeable composite membrane.    
     
     
         30 . A fuel cell consisting essentially of a composite membrane consisting essentially of: 
 a support having a microstructure of micropores, said microstructure defining a porosity in the range of about 20% to 98% within said support,    at least one ion exchange resin filling said microstructure such that said composite membrane is air impermeable, said composite membrane having a thickness of at most 0.8 mils, said composite membrane being heated to 60° C. to 200° C., and said ion exchange resin being a perfluorinated sulfonic acid resin.    
     
     
         31 . The fuel cell of  claim 30 , wherein said support has a pore diameter of less than 10 microns.  
     
     
         32 . The fuel cell of  claim 30 , wherein the thickness is at most 0.5 mils.  
     
     
         33 . The fuel cell of  claim 30 , wherein the support is a polymeric support.  
     
     
         34 . The fuel cell of  claim 35 , wherein the membrane is heated at 120° C. to 160° C.  
     
     
         35 . A fuel cell comprising a composite membrane consisting essentially of: 
 a support of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene having a microstructure of micropores, said microstructure defining a porosity in the range of about 70% to 98% within said support,    at least one perfluorinated sulfonic acid ion exchange resin filling at least 90% of said microstructure, said composite membrane having a thickness of at most 0.8 mils, said composite membrane being heated to 60° C. to 200° C.    
     
     
         36 . A fuel cell according to  claim 35 , wherein the pore diameter is less than 10 microns.  
     
     
         37 . A fuel cell according to  claim 35 , wherein the pore diameter is between 0.05 microns and 5 microns.  
     
     
         38 . A fuel cell according to  claim 35 , wherein the composite membrane is heated to 120° to 160° C.  
     
     
         39 . A fuel cell according to  claim 35 , wherein the micropores are fully occluded.  
     
     
         40 . A fuel cell according to  claim 35 , wherein a reinforcement backing is bonded to the membrane.

Cited by (0)

No later patents cite this yet.

References (0)

No backward citations on record.