Solid polymer electrolyte composition

• US 5,766,787 A
• Filed: 08/17/1995
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Masahiro Watanabe, Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tanaka Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Masahiro Watanabe, Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tanaka Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Masahiro, Uchida, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Bruce F.
• Application Number:
  US08/516,395
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 204/421, 204/282, 204/252, 204/296, 429/30, 429/33, 429/190, 429/192, 429/193, 521/27, 252/62.2
• US Class Current: 429/494
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04291 Arrangements for managing water in solid electrolyte fuel cell systems H01M8/04119 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1023 having only carbon, e.g. polyarylenes, polystyrenes or polybutadiene-styrenes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1027 having carbon, oxygen and other atoms, e.g. sulfonated polyethersulfones [S-PES]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1032 having sulfur, e.g. sulfonated-polyethersulfones [S-PES]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1039 halogenated, e.g. sulfonated polyvinylidene fluorides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1051 Non-ion-conducting additives, e.g. stabilisers, SiO2 or ZrO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Disclosed herein is solid polymer electrolyte composition comprising solid polymer electrolyte and at least one metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, palladium, rhodium, iridium and ruthenium contained in the said solid polymer electrolyte. The said composition may further contain a metal oxide. The membrane made of the composition possesses the abilities of producing water by itself and of retaining the water so that the ionic conductivity and the effect of depressing the crossover is excellent. Accordingly, the cell employing the membrane possesses superior cell performance.

Claims

1. Solid polymer electrolyte composition comprising solid polymer electrolyte selected from cation exchange resin and anion exchange resin, and 0.01 to 80% in weight of at least one metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, palladium, rhodium, iridium and ruthenium based on the weight of the solid polymer electrolyte contained in the said solid polymer electrolyte.

2. Solid polymer electrolyte composition comprising solid polymer electrolyte selected from cation exchange resin and anion exchange resin, 0.01 to 80% in weight of at least one metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, palladium, rhodium, iridium and ruthenium based on the weight of the solid polymer electrolyte contained in the said solid polymer electrolyte, and 0.01 to 50% weight of particles and/or fibers of one or more metal oxides contained in the solid polymer electrolyte.

3. Solid polymer electrolyte composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of silica, titania, alumina, zirconia, magnesia and stannic oxide.

4. Solid polymer electrolyte composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the metal oxide is silica or titania.

5. Solid polymer electrolyte composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cation exchange resin is selected from the group consisting of perfluorocarbon sulphonic acid, polysulphone, perfluorocarboxylic acid and styrene-vinyl benzene sulphonic acid.

6. Solid polymer electrolyte composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the anion exchange resin is styrene-butadiene based anion exchange resin.

7. Solid polymer electrolyte composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the average particle size of the metal oxide is not more than 0.1 μ

m.

8. Solid polymer electrolyte composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the average primary particle size of the particles of the metal oxide is not more than 0.1 μ

m, and the diameter of the fibers of the metal oxide is not more than 6 μ

m.

9. A solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising a cathode current collector, a cathode catalyst layer, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer and an anode current collector piled in this turn in which an oxidative gas or liquid is supplied to the cathode catalyst layer and a fuel gas or liquid is supplied to the anode catalyst layer characterized in that solid polymer electrolyte composition comprising solid polymer electrolyte selected from cation exchange resin and anion exchange resin, and 0.01 to 80% in weight of at least one metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, palladium, rhodium, iridium and ruthenium based on the weight of the solid polymer electrolyte contained in the said solid polymer electrolyte is employed as the above solid polymer electrolyte membrane.

10. A solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising a cathode current collector, a cathode catalyst layer, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer and an anode current collector piled in this turn in which an oxidative gas or liquid is supplied to the cathode catalyst layer and a fuel gas or liquid is supplied to the anode catalyst layer characterized in that solid polymer electrolyte composition comprising solid polymer electrolyte selected from cation exchange resin and anion exchange resin, 0.01 to 80% in weight of at least one metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, palladium, rhodium, iridium and ruthenium based on the weight of the solid polymer electrolyte, and 0.01 to 50% in weight of particulate silica and/or fabulous silica fibers based on the weight of the solid polymer electrolyte contained in the said solid polymer electrolyte is employed as the above solid polymer electrolyte membrane.