Apparatus and method for manufacturing composite membrane

Abstract

An electrolyte membrane with a backsheet is sent out from an electrolyte membrane unwinding roller, and is separated with its second side sucked on a suction roller by a first press roller. While the electrolyte membrane from which the backsheet has been separated is transported with the electrolyte membrane sucked and supported on the suction roller, an electrode ink is applied to a first side of the electrolyte membrane to form an electrode ink layer, which is dried by blowing hot air thereto to form a catalyst layer. Thereafter, in a state in which the outer surface of a second press roller disposed close to the suction roller is in contact with and supported on the first side of the electrolyte membrane, a support film is pressed against the second side of the electrolyte membrane by a third press roller and attached thereto to manufacture a catalyst-coated membrane.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane having a functional layer formed on a band-like thin film, comprising:
 a suction roller that sucks and supports said thin film on an outer surface thereof;   a coating part that applies a coating liquid to one side of said thin film that is transported while being sucked and supported on said suction roller;   a drying part that is provided to cover a portion of the outer surface of said suction roller and dries said coating liquid applied to the one side of said thin film to form said functional layer; and   an attachment part that attaches a band-shaped first supporting member to another side of said thin film on which said functional layer is formed, said attachment part including a first roller that comes into contact with the one side of said thin film and supports said thin film while being in contact with or close to said suction roller, and being configured to attach said first supporting member to the other side of said thin film with the one side of said thin film being in contact with and supported on an outer surface of said first roller.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said attachment part includes a second roller that, while being in contact with or close to said first roller, presses said first supporting member against the other side of said thin film that is in contact with and supported on the outer surface of said first roller.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 2 , further comprising
 a separation part that separates a band-shaped second supporting member from said thin film having said second supporting member attached to the one side thereof, said separation part including a third roller that separates said second supporting member with the other side of said thin film being sucked on said suction roller.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said drying part is divided into a plurality of drying zones, and   drying temperatures of said plurality of drying zones sequentially increase in order from an upstream side toward a downstream side in a transport direction in which said thin film is transported.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 4 , wherein
 said drying part includes a heat-shielding zone on at least the most upstream side in said transport direction.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 an auxiliary drying part that heats said thin film to which said first supporting member is attached by said attachment part.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane according to claim  1 , wherein
 said coating part includes a slit nozzle provided with a slit-shaped discharge port.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a cooling part that cools said suction roller.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a jetting part that blows air to the outer surface of said suction roller.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said coating part performs intermittent coating in which the coating liquid is intermittently applied to said thin film.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 3 , wherein
 said attachment part attaches said second supporting member separated by said separation part as said first supporting member, to the other side of said thin film.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said thin film is an electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell, and   said coating liquid is an electrode paste.   
     
     
         13 . A method for manufacturing a composite membrane having a functional layer formed on a band-like thin film, comprising the steps of:
 (a) sucking and supporting said thin film on an outer surface of a suction roller;   (b) applying a coating liquid to one side of said thin film that is transported while being sucked and supported on said suction roller;   (c) drying said coating liquid applied to the one side of said thin film to form said functional layer; and   (d) attaching a band-shaped first supporting member to another side of said thin film in a state in which the one side of said thin film on which said functional layer is formed is in contact with and supported on an outer surface of a first roller that comes into contact with the one side of said thin film and supports said thin film while being in contact with or close to said suction roller.   
     
     
         14 . The method for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 13 , wherein,
 in said step (d), said first supporting member is pressed against and attached to the other side of said thin film by a second roller, said thin film being in contact with and supported on the outer surface of said first roller.   
     
     
         15 . The method for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 14 , further comprising the step of
 (e) separating a band-shaped second supporting member from said thin film having said second supporting member attached to the one side thereof.   
     
     
         16 . The method for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 13 , wherein,
 in said step (b), intermittent coating in which the coating liquid is intermittently applied to said thin film is performed.   
     
     
         17 . The method for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 15 , wherein,
 in said step (d), said second supporting member separated in said step (e) is attached to the other side of said thin film as said first supporting member.   
     
     
         18 . The method for manufacturing a composite membrane according to  claim 13 , wherein
 said thin film is an electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell, and   said coating liquid is an electrode paste.