DEVICE AND METHOD FOR EVALUATING PERFORMANCE OF FUEL CELLS, DEVICE AND METHOD FOR EVALUATING SPECIFIC SURFACE AREA OF FUEL-CELL ELECTRODE CATALYSTS, FUEL-CELL ELECTRODE CATALYST, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 6,921,604 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawahara, Tatsuya, Kato, Hisao, Ozaki, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sines, Brian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/778,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20040161850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 296/231, 429/12, 429/15, 429/29, 429/30, 429/33, 429/34, 429/35, 429/40, 429/41, 429/44, 429/45, 429/46, 429/96, 429/99, 204/193, 204/194, 502/100, 502/101, 502/185, 502/221, 502/222, 502/223
• US Class Current: 429/468
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/92 Metals of platinum group H01M4/94 , H01M4/9058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/926 on carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04 Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

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.

Claims

1. 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;

wherein the platinum-carrying density is 70 weight % after the carbon carrier has the platinum carried thereon.

2. 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;

wherein the platinum-carrying density is 70 weight % after the carbon carrier has the platinum carried thereon.

3. 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;

wherein the platinum-carrying density is 70 weight % after the carbon carrier has the platinum carried thereon.

4. 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;

wherein the platinum-carrying density is 70 weight % after the carbon carrier has the platinum carried thereon.

5. 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;

wherein the platinum-carrying density is 70 weight % after the carbon carrier has the platinum carried thereon.