Micro fuel cell

• US 20050260461A1
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roland A. Wood, Tom Rezachek
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Rezachek, Tom, Wood, Roland A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,879,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/494
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0247 characterised by the form characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1004 characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1023 having only carbon, e.g. polyarylenes, polystyrenes or polybutadiene-styrenes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1039 halogenated, e.g. sulfonated polyvinylidene fluorides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/241 with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1056 Perforating lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 Prior to assembly

Abstract

A fuel cell, fuel cell array and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The fuel cell can be made by forming a first aperture defined by a first aperture surface through a first electrode layer and forming a second aperture defined by a second aperture surface through a second electrode layer. A proton exchange membrane is laminated between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. At least a portion of the first aperture is at least partially aligned with the second aperture.

Claims

1. A method of forming a fuel cell, comprising the steps of:

providing a first substrate with a first aperture extending through the first substrate;

providing a second substrate with a second aperture extending through the second substrate;

laminating a proton exchange membrane between the first substrate and the second substrate where the first aperture is at least partially aligned with the second aperture.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the proton exchange membrane includes a catalyst.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the first substrate facing the proton exchange membrane extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in at least one region, and an inner surface of the second substrate facing the proton exchange membrane extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in the at least one region.

4. A method according to claim 3 further comprising the step of providing an adhesive between the inner surface of the first substrate and the inner surface of the second substrate in the at least one region.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a first conductive layer on an inner surface of the first substrate facing the proton exchange membrane adjacent to the first aperture; and

providing a second conductive layer on an inner surface of the second substrate facing the proton exchange membrane adjacent to the second aperture.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the inner surface of the first substrate extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in at least one interconnect region, and the inner surface of the second substrate extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in the at least one interconnect region.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the first conductive layer extends into the at least one interconnect region and the second conductive layer extends into the at least one interconnect region and overlaps and makes an electrical connection to the first conductive layer.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are substantially non-conductive.

9. A method of forming a plurality of fuel cells, comprising the steps of:

forming a first plurality of apertures through a first sheet;

forming a second plurality of apertures through a second sheet; and

laminating a proton exchange membrane between the first sheet and the second sheet, where the first plurality of apertures are at least partially aligned with the second plurality of apertures.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the proton exchange membrane includes a catalyst.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the proton exchange membrane includes a perfluorosulfuric acid membrane with a polytetrafluoroethylene backbone.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the catalyst includes carbon/platinum.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein an inner surface of the first sheet facing the proton exchange membrane extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in at least one region, and an inner surface of the second sheet facing the proton exchange membrane extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in the at least one region.

14. A method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of providing an adhesive between the inner surface of the first sheet and the inner surface of the second sheet in the at least one region.

15. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

providing two or more first conductive electrodes on an inner surface of the first sheet facing the proton exchange membrane adjacent to at least two of the first plurality of apertures; and

providing two or more second conductive electrodes on an inner surface of the second sheet facing the proton exchange membrane adjacent to at least two of the second plurality of apertures.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the inner surface of the first sheet extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in at least one interconnect region, and the inner surface of the second substrate extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in the at least one interconnect region.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein at least one of the first conductive electrodes extends into the at least one interconnect region and at least one of the second conductive electrodes extends into the at least one interconnect region and overlaps and makes an electrical connection to the at least one first conductive electrodes.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are substantially non-conductive.

27. The fuel cell according to claim 15 further comprising a second electrode on an inner surface of the second sheet facing the proton exchange membrane.

28. The fuel cell according to claim 27 wherein the second electrode extends adjacent to the second aperture.

29. A fuel cell according to claim 28 wherein the inner surface of the first sheet extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in at least one interconnect region, and the inner surface of the second sheet extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in the at least one interconnect region, and wherein the first electrode extends into the at least one interconnect region and the second electrode extends into the at least one interconnect region and makes an electrical connection to the first electrode.

19. A fuel cell comprising:

a first substrate having a first aperture;

a second substrate having a second aperture; and

a proton exchange membrane disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and spanning the first aperture and the second aperture;

wherein, the first aperture is at least partially aligned with the second aperture and the proton exchange layer is unsupported across at least a major portion of the first aperture and the second aperture.

20. The fuel cell according to claim 19, wherein the proton exchange membrane has a thickness of 1 mil or less.

21. The fuel cell according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the first aperture and the second aperture has a cross-sectional area of 1 mm² or less.

22. The fuel cell according to claim 20, wherein the aligned portion of the first aperture and the second aperture has a cross-sectional area of 1 mm² or less.

23. The fuel cell according to claim 19, wherein the first sheet has a thickness of 2 mil or less.

24. The fuel cell according to claim 23, wherein the second sheet has a thickness of 2 mil or less.

25. The fuel cell according to claim 19 further comprising a first electrode on an inner surface of the first sheet facing the proton exchange membrane.

26. The fuel cell according to claim 25 wherein the first electrode extends adjacent to the first aperture.

30. A fuel cell, comprising:

a top layer having a first plurality of electrical contacts and a first plurality of apertures where at least selected first electrical contacts extend from adjacent corresponding apertures to a first region;

a bottom layer having a second plurality of electrical contacts and a second plurality of apertures wherein where at least selected second electrical contacts extend from adjacent corresponding apertures to a second region, wherein the first region at least partially overlaps the second region in an overlap region; and

a proton exchange membrane disposed between the top layer and bottom layer adjacent the apertures but not in the overlap region.

31. The fuel cell according to claim 30, wherein an adhesive layer is disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer in the overlap region.

32. A method of forming a plurality of fuel cells, comprising the steps of:

providing a first length of material having a first plurality apertures and a first plurality of electrical contacts;

providing a second length of material having a second plurality apertures and a second plurality of electrical contacts;

providing a proton exchange membrane;

moving the first length of material into a joining unit;

moving the second length of material into the joining unit such that the second plurality of apertures are at least partially in registration with the first plurality of apertures; and

moving the proton exchange membrane into the joining unit simultaneously with and in between the first and second length of material, at least part of the proton exchange membrane aligned with the plurality of first and second apertures to form a plurality of fuel cells.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein an inner surface of the first length of material extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in at least one region, and an inner surface of the second length of material extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in the at least one region.

34. A method according to claim 33 further comprising the step of providing an adhesive between the inner surface of the first length of material and the inner surface of the second length of material in the at least one region.

35. A method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of dicing the plurality of fuel cells into arrays of fuel cells.

36. A method of forming a fuel cell, comprising the steps of:

providing a first substrate having an inside surface and an outside surface and a first aperture extending from the inside surface to the outside surface;

providing a first electrode layer adjacent the first aperture on the inside surface of the first substrate;

providing a second substrate having an inside surface and an outside surface and a second aperture extending from the inside surface to the outside surface;

providing a second electrode layer adjacent the second aperture on the inside surface of the second substrate; and

sandwiching a proton exchange membrane between the inside surface of the first substrate and the inside surface of the second substrate, where the first aperture is at least partially aligned with the second aperture with the proton exchange membrane extending therebetween.

37. A method according to claim 36 wherein the proton exchange membrane includes a catalyst.

38. A method according to claim 36 wherein the inner surface of the first substrate extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in at least one region, and the inner surface of the second substrate extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in the at least one region.

39. A method according to claim 38 further comprising the step of providing an adhesive between the inner surface of the first substrate and the inner surface of the second substrate in the at least one region.

40. A method according to claim 36 wherein the inner surface of the first substrate extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in at least one interconnect region, and the inner surface of the second substrate extends beyond the proton exchange membrane in the at least one interconnect region.

41. A method according to claim 40 wherein the first electrode layer extends into the at least one interconnect region and the second electrode layer extends into the at least one interconnect region and makes an electrical connection to the first electrode layer.