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Method of forming a fuel cell stack

  • US 9,029,038 B2
  • Filed: 11/01/2007
  • Issued: 05/12/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of making a cylindrical fuel cell stack comprising:

  • forming an anode electrode layer comprising an anode electrode portion and a non-electrode portion;

    forming an anode double sided adhesive layer having a non-adhesive gas diffusion layer therein, said double sided adhesive layer adhered on one side to the anode electrode layer such that a portion of the anode electrode is in contact with the anode gas diffusion layer;

    forming an ion exchange membrane layer having an ion exchange membrane in an opening therein, said ion exchange membrane aligned with the non-adhesive anode gas diffusion layer in the opening in the anode double sided adhesive layer, said ion exchange membrane layer adhered on a first side to the side of the double sided adhesive layer opposite the anode electrode layer;

    forming a cathode double sided adhesive layer having a non-adhesive cathode gas diffusion layer in an opening therein, said cathode has diffusion layer aligned with the ion exchange membrane, said double sided adhesive layer adhered on one side to a second side of the ion exchange membrane;

    forming a cathode electrode layer comprising a cathode electrode portion and a non-electrode portion adhered to the cathode double sided adhesive layer and having a non-adhesive cathode gas diffusion layer in an opening therein, on the side opposite the ion exchange membrane;

    pressing the formed layers together as parallel adjacent planes rolled to form a flexible fuel cell stack, the parallel adjacent planes sufficiently flexible to be conformed into a cylindrical shape;

    conforming the flexible fuel cell stack to a cylindrical shape to form a cylindrical fuel cell stack; and

    adhering the cylindrical fuel cell stack around a rigid cylindrical anode support.

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