Fuel cell having a non-electrolytic layer

Abstract

A non-electrolytic layer that can be used, for example, in an electrode unit, a fuel cell, and/or a fuel cell stack is disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 - 15 . (canceled)  
     
     
         16 . A fuel cell, comprising: 
 a first gas diffusion layer;    a second gas diffusion layer;    an electrolyte between the first and the second gas diffusion layers;    a first catalyst layer between the electrolyte and the first gas diffusion layer, the first catalyst layer comprising a first electrolytic polymer and a first non-electrolytic polymer; and    a second catalyst layer between the electrolyte and the second gas diffusion layer.    
     
     
         17 . The fuel cell of  claim 16 , wherein the first electrolytic polymer comprises an ionomer.  
     
     
         18 . The fuel cell of  claim 16 , wherein the first electrolytic polymer comprises a sulphonated fluorocarbon polymer.  
     
     
         19 . The fuel cell of  claim 16 , wherein the first non-electrolytic polymer comprises a fluorine-containing resin.  
     
     
         20 . The fuel cell of  claim 16 , wherein the first non-electrolytic polymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         21 . The fuel cell of  claim 16 , wherein the first non-electrolytic polymer comprises a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene.  
     
     
         22 . The fuel cell of  claim 16 , wherein the second catalyst layer comprises a second electrolytic polymer and a second non-electrolytic polymer.  
     
     
         23 . The fuel cell of  claim 22 , wherein the first electrolytic polymer and the first non-electrolytic polymer form a mixture.  
     
     
         24 - 29 . (canceled)  
     
     
         30 . A fuel cell, comprising: 
 an electrolyte;    a gas diffusion layer;    a plurality of layers between the electrolyte and the gas diffusion layer, at least two of the layers having different concentrations of a non-electrolytic material; and    an electrode layer between the electrolyte and the plurality of layers.    
     
     
         31 . The fuel cell of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of layers includes a layer adjacent to the gas diffusion layer having the highest concentration of non-electrolytic material relative to other layers of the plurality of layers.  
     
     
         32 . The fuel cell of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of layers comprises a concentration gradient of the non-electrolytic material between the electrolyte and the gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         33 . The fuel cell of  claim 32 , wherein the concentration gradient is substantially linear.  
     
     
         34 . The fuel cell of  claim 32 , wherein the concentration gradient decreases from the gas diffusion layer to the electrolyte.  
     
     
         35 . The fuel cell of  claim 30 , wherein the non-electrolytic material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         36 . A fuel cell, comprising: 
 an electrolyte;    a gas diffusion layer; and    a plurality of layers between the electrolyte and the gas diffusion layer,    wherein at least two of the plurality of layers include a non-electrolytic material and an electrolytic material, and at least two of the plurality of layers having different concentrations of the non-electrolytic material.    
     
     
         37 . The fuel cell of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of layers comprises a layer adjacent to the gas diffusion layer having the highest concentration of the non-electrolytic material relative to the other layers of the plurality of layers.  
     
     
         38 . The fuel cell of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of layers comprises a concentration gradient of the non-electrolytic material between the electrolyte and the gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         39 . The fuel cell of  claim 38 , wherein the concentration gradient of the non-electrolytic material is substantially linear.  
     
     
         40 . The fuel cell of  claim 38 , wherein the concentration gradient of the non-electrolytic material decreases from the gas diffusion layer to the electrolyte.  
     
     
         41 . The fuel cell of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of layers includes a layer adjacent to the electrolyte having the highest concentration of electrolytic material relative to other layers of the plurality of layers.  
     
     
         42 . The fuel cell of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of layers comprises a concentration gradient of the electrolytic material between the electrolyte and the gas diffusion layer.  
     
     
         43 . The fuel cell of  claim 42 , wherein the concentration gradient of the electrolytic material is substantially linear.  
     
     
         44 . The fuel cell of  claim 42 , wherein the concentration gradient of the electrolytic material increases from the gas diffusion layer to the electrolyte.  
     
     
         45 . The fuel cell of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of layers comprises a catalyst.  
     
     
         46 . The fuel cell of  claim 36 , wherein the non-electrolytic material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.