Device and method for evaluating performance of fuel cells, device and method for evaluating specific sufrace area of fuel-cell electrode catalysts, fuel-cell electrode catalyst, and method of manufacturing the same
First Claim
1. A device for evaluating performance of fuel cells, comprising:
- a container that holds an electrode catalyst used in a fuel cell;
a supplier communicating with the container that supplies a predetermined amount of carbon monoxide to the container;
a detector communicating with the container that detects an amount of carbon monoxide discharged from the container;
an adsorption amount determiner that determines an amount of carbon monoxide adsorbed by the electrode catalyst based on the amount of carbon monoxide supplied by the supplier and the amount of carbon monoxide detected by the detector; and
a calculator that calculates an output voltage of the fuel cell based on the determined adsorption amount.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device and a method for simply and accurately evaluating performance of fuel cells have been provided. Hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide gas are caused to flow into a sample holder where an electrode catalyst sample is laid, and the amount of carbon monoxide gas discharged therefrom is detected. The amount of carbon monoxide gas adsorbed by the electrode catalyst sample is calculated based on the amount of supplied carbon monoxide gas and the amount of detected carbon monoxide gas. The output voltage of a fuel cell is calculated based on a correlation between calculated amounts of carbon monoxide gas adsorbed by the electrode catalyst and output voltages of the fuel cell.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A device for evaluating performance of fuel cells, comprising:
-
a container that holds an electrode catalyst used in a fuel cell;
a supplier communicating with the container that supplies a predetermined amount of carbon monoxide to the container;
a detector communicating with the container that detects an amount of carbon monoxide discharged from the container;
an adsorption amount determiner that determines an amount of carbon monoxide adsorbed by the electrode catalyst based on the amount of carbon monoxide supplied by the supplier and the amount of carbon monoxide detected by the detector; and
a calculator that calculates an output voltage of the fuel cell based on the determined adsorption amount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A device for evaluating specific surface area of electrode catalysts for fuel cells, comprising:
-
a container that holds an electrode catalyst used in a fuel cell;
a reducing agent supplier communicating with the container that supplies a reducing agent, which reduces the electrode catalyst within an operating temperature range of the fuel cell, to the container;
a carbon monoxide supplier communicating with the container that supplies a predetermined amount of carbon monoxide to the container after reduction has been carried out by the reducing agent;
a detector communicating with the container that detectes an amount of carbon monoxide discharged from the container;
an adsorption amount determiner that determines an amount of carbon monoxide adsorbed by the electrode catalyst based on the amount of carbon monoxide supplied by the supplier and the amount of carbon monoxide detected by the detector; and
a calculator that calculates a specific surface area of the electrode catalyst based on the determined adsorption amount. - View Dependent Claims (5)
-
-
6. A method for evaluating performance of fuel cells, comprising:
-
supplying carbon monoxide to a container holding an electrode catalyst used in a fuel cell;
determining an amount of carbon monoxide adsorbed by the electrode catalyst; and
calculating an output voltage of the fuel cell based on the calculated adsorption amount. - View Dependent Claims (7)
-
-
8. A method for evaluating specific surface area of electrode catalysts for fuel cells, comprising:
-
supplying hydrogen gas to a container holding an electrode catalyst used in a fuel cell;
reducing the electrode catalyst within an operating temperature range of the fuel cell by means of the hydrogen gas;
supplying carbon monoxide to the container after the reduction has been completed;
determining an amount of carbon monoxide adsorbed by the electrode catalyst; and
calculating a specific surface area of the electrode catalyst based on the determined adsorption amount. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
-
10. A method for manufacturing electrode catalysts for fuel cells, comprising:
-
preparing a carbon carrier having a specific surface area of 1000 m2/g or more; and
having platinum carried on the carbon carrier with a predetermined platinum-carrying density. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for manufacturing membrane-electrode assemblies, comprising:
-
forming an electrode catalyst by having platinum carried on a carbon carrier having a specific surface area of 1000 m2/g or more with a predetermined platinum-carrying density; and
fixing the electrode catalyst onto an electrolytic membrane.
-
-
14. A method for manufacturing unit cells constituting fuel cells, comprising:
-
forming an electrode catalyst by having platinum carried on a carbon carrier having a specific surface area of 1000 m2/g or more with a predetermined platinum-carrying density;
forming an electrode from the electrode catalyst; and
assembling the electrode with an electrolytic membrane and separators. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
-
16. A method for manufacturing fuel cells, comprising:
-
forming an electrode catalyst by having platinum carried on a carbon carrier having a specific surface area of 1000 m2/g or more with a predetermined platinum-carrying density;
forming an electrode from the electrode catalyst;
forming a unit cell by assembling the electrode with an electrolytic membrane and separators;
stacking a plurality of unit cells formed in the preceding step; and
arranging current collecting plates at opposed ends of the stacked unit cells and fixing the current collecting plates.
-
-
17. An electrode catalyst used for fuel cells, comprising:
-
a carbon carrier having a specific surface area of 1000 m2/g or more; and
platinum carried on the carbon carrier with a predetermined platinum-carrying density. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
19. A membrane-electrode assembly for fuel cells, comprising:
-
an electrode catalyst composed of platinum carried on a carbon carrier having a specific surface area of 1000 m2/g or more with a predetermined platinum-carrying density; and
an electrolytic membrane to which the electrode catalyst is fixed.
-
-
20. A unit cell constituting a fuel cell, comprising:
-
electrodes having an electrode catalyst having platinum carried on a carbon carrier having a specific surface area of 1000 m2/g or more with a predetermined platinum-carrying density;
an electrolytic membrane whose front and back surfaces have the electrodes disposed thereon; and
separators disposed on front and back sides of the electrolytic membrane. - View Dependent Claims (21)
-
-
22. A fuel cell comprising:
-
electrodes having an electrode catalyst having platinum carried on a carbon carrier having a specific surface area of 1000 m2/g or more with a predetermined platinum-carrying density;
an electrolytic membrane whose front and back surfaces have the electrodes disposed thereon;
separators disposed on front and back sides of the electrolytic membrane;
a stack formed by stacking a plurality of the separators; and
current collecting plates disposed at opposed ends of the stack.
-
-
23. A method for evaluating gaseous-reaction electrodes, comprising:
-
exposing a gaseous-reaction electrode to a carbon monoxide atmosphere;
determining an amount of carbon monoxide adsorbed by the gaseous-reaction electrode; and
evaluating performance of the gaseous-reaction electrode based on the amount of the adsorbed carbon monoxide.
-
Specification