Planar substrate-based fuel cell membrane electrode assembly and integrated circuitry
First Claim
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1. A Proton exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) apparatus comprising:
- a conductive planar substrate having a front surface and an opposing back surface, the conductive planar substrate also having a porous region;
catalyst material affixed to at least said back surface of said porous region;
proton exchange material affixed to said front surface of said conductive planar substrate, the proton exchange material having an anode surface and an opposing cathode surface;
an anode conductor coupled with said anode surface of said proton exchange material;
a thick film gas diffusion electrode affixed to said anode conductor; and
a cathode conductor coplanar with said anode conductor and electrically coupled to the conductive substrate through an opening in the proton exchange material.
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Abstract
Disclosed is a Proton exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) apparatus constructed on a planar substrate. The substrate provides mechanical support for the MEA and also facilitates the inclusion of further integrated circuitry operably coupled to the MEA. Also disclosed is integrated circuitry providing MEA fuel cells with self-contained control circuitry, as well as integrated circuitry with self-contained fuel cell power sources. The invention also provides increased MEA performance and reduced cost as a result of the reduced thickness of the electrolyte material.
23 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A Proton exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) apparatus comprising:
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a conductive planar substrate having a front surface and an opposing back surface, the conductive planar substrate also having a porous region;
catalyst material affixed to at least said back surface of said porous region;
proton exchange material affixed to said front surface of said conductive planar substrate, the proton exchange material having an anode surface and an opposing cathode surface;
an anode conductor coupled with said anode surface of said proton exchange material;
a thick film gas diffusion electrode affixed to said anode conductor; and
a cathode conductor coplanar with said anode conductor and electrically coupled to the conductive substrate through an opening in the proton exchange material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An integrated circuit based fuel cell apparatus comprising:
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a Proton exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA); and
an integrated circuit operably coupled to said membrane electrode assembly. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An integrated circuit comprising:
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a substrate having a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) portion further comprising;
a porous region of said planar substrate having a front surface and an opposing back surface;
catalyst material affixed to said back surface and sidewalls of said porous region;
proton exchange material affixed to said front surface of planar substrate, the proton exchange material having an anode surface and an opposing cathode surface;
an anode conductor coupled with said anode surface of said proton exchange material;
a gas-diffusion electrode affixed to said anode conductor;
a cathode conductor electrically coupled with said conductive portion of substrate wherein said cathode conductor is coplanar in relation to said anode conductor; and
said substrate also having an integrated circuit portion operably coupled to said MEA portion. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification