Fuel cell and method for preparation thereof

• US 20020110725A1
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kanemitsu, Toshiaki, Yamaura, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,037,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/44
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8807 Gas diffusion layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/886 Powder spraying, e.g. wet or dry powder spraying, plasma spraying
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1004 characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A fuel cell and method for preparation thereof, wherein the fuel cell is ready to manufacture, superior in cell performance, and includes a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode facing each other with an electrode film positioned between the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode, wherein at least one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode contain a fibrous, or needle-like carbonaceous material and are directly formed on the electrode film.

Claims

1. A fuel cell, comprising:

a fuel electrode;

an oxygen electrode, the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode facing each other; and

an electrode film, the electrode film disposed between the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode, wherein at least one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode contains a fibrous carbonaceous material directly and is formed on the electrode film.

2. A fuel cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode containing the fibrous carbonaceous material has a thickness which is no greater than 5 μ

m.

3. A fuel cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fibrous carbonaceous material is a carbon material having a tubular structure.

4. A fuel cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fibrous carbonaceous material is a graphite material having a fibrous structure.

5. A method for preparing a fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an electrode film;

providing both a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode, wherein at least one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode contains a fibrous carbonaceous material; and

forming the at least one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode directly on the electrode film, wherein the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode face each other with the electrode film being disposed therebetween.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of forming at least one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode directly on the electrode film includes the step of spraying the fibrous carbonaceous material directly on the electrode film.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of forming at least one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode directly on the electrode film includes the step of dripping the fibrous carbonaceous material directly on the electrode film.