System and a method for manufacturing an electrolyte using electrodeposition

• US 7,632,590 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2003
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited (Lb-shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Punsalan, David, Mardilovich, Peter, Herman, Gregory S
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Eugenia
• Application Number:
  US10/620,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20050014050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,345 Days
• Field of Search: 429/12, 429/30, 429/33, 429/306, 429/314, 205/109, 205/76, 205/67, 205/317, 206/109, 206/317
• US Class Current: 429/406
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 13/04 with organic material
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 9/02 with organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0088 Composites
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04197 Preventing means for fuel crossover
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1016 characterised by the electrolyte material 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 method for manufacturing an electrolyte includes coupling a substrate to a charged electrode and electrodepositing a polymeric electrolyte on the substrate.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electrolyte comprising:

coupling a porous substrate to a charged electrode;

electrodepositing a polymeric electrolyte on said porous substrate including in pores of said porous substrate; and

coupling said electrolyte and porous substrate to an anode, a cathode and a catalyst.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a conductive porous substrate;

and said polymeric electrolyte coats and completely insulates an outer surface of said conductive porous substrate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said conductive porous substrate comprises a porous stainless steel substrate.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said electrodepositing a polymeric electrolyte further comprises:

disposing said porous substrate and said charged electrode in a polymeric electrolyte solution containing charged polymeric electrolyte particles; and

generating an electric field in said polymeric electrolyte solution;

wherein said generated electric field accelerates charged polymeric electrolyte particles to said porous substrate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said charged polymeric electrolyte particles further comprise perfluorosulfonate ionomer particles.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said perfluorosulfonate ionomer particles are deposited on said porous substrate by electrophoretic deposition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said porous substrate comprises steel wool.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing deposited polymeric electrolyte from an outer surface of said porous substrate, while leaving said polymeric electrolyte in pores of said porous substrate.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said removal of deposited polymeric electrolyte comprises machining said deposited electrolyte with a blade.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said electrodepositing a polymeric electrolyte further comprises:

disposing said substrate and said charged electrode in a polymeric electrolyte solution containing charged polymeric electrolyte ions; and

generating an electric field in said polymeric electrolyte solution;

wherein said electric field accelerates charged polymeric electrolyte ions to said substrate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said charged polymeric electrolyte ions further comprise perfluorosulfonate ionomer ions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said perfluorosulfonate ionomer ions are deposited on said porous substrate by electrolytic deposition.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said perfluorosulfonate ionomer ions are deposited on an outer surface of said porous substrate.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a non-conductive porous substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said electrodepositing a polymeric electrolyte further comprises:

disposing said porous substrate and said charged electrode in a polymeric electrolyte solution containing charged polymeric electrolyte particles; and

generating an electric field in said polymeric electrolyte solution;

wherein said electric field accelerates charged polymeric electrolyte particles to said porous substrate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said charged polymeric electrolyte particles further comprise perfluorosulfonate ionomer particles.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said perfluorosulfonate ionomer particles are deposited on said porous substrate by electrophoretic deposition.

18. The method of claim 1, in which said electrodepositing a polymeric electrolyte further comprises:

depositing charged polymeric electrolyte particles on a substrate by electrophoretic deposition;

subsequently, depositing additional charged polymeric electrolyte particles on said substrate by electrolytic deposition; and

treating a surface of said substrate by removing polymeric electrolyte particles between said depositing of charged polymeric electrolyte particles and said depositing of additional charged polymeric electrolyte particles.