Conductive polymer layers to limit transfer of fuel reactants to catalysts of fuel cells to reduce reactant crossover

DWPI Title: Apparatus for limiting transfer of fuel reactants to e.g. mixture of platinum and ruthenium particles, of fuel cells, has anode gas diffusion layer including polymer material to limit transfer of fuel reactant to anode catalyst layer
Abstract: An apparatus of an aspect includes a fuel cell catalyst layer. The fuel cell catalyst layer is operable to catalyze a reaction involving a fuel reactant. A fuel cell gas diffusion layer is coupled with the fuel cell catalyst layer. The fuel cell gas diffusion layer includes a porous electrically conductive material. The porous electrically conductive material is operable to allow the fuel reactant to transfer through the fuel cell gas diffusion layer to reach the fuel cell catalyst layer. The porous electrically conductive material is also operable to conduct electrons associated with the reaction through the fuel cell gas diffusion layer. An electrically conductive polymer material is coupled with the fuel cell gas diffusion layer. The electrically conductive polymer material is operable to limit transfer of the fuel reactant to the fuel cell catalyst layer.
Use: Apparatus for limiting transfer of fuel reactants to catalysts e.g. mixture of platinum and ruthenium particles, of fuel cells to reduce reactant crossover using electrically conductive polymer layers.
Advantage: The polymer layer reduces reactant crossover, so that higher reactant concentrations can be employed, thus significantly increasing energy density of a system, decreasing volume of fuel for given run time, and increasing maximum attainable current output. The apparatus increases operating voltage and power output of the fuel cell due to decreased subtractive contributions of reactions undergone by crossover reactant at cathode catalyst.
Novelty: The apparatus has anode gas diffusion layer (GDL) (220) placed between a anode catalyst layer (222) and a anode electrode (214), and including a porous electrically conductive material operable to allow fuel reactant to transfer through the anode gas diffusion layer to reach the anode catalyst layer, and conduct electrons associated with reaction through the anode gas diffusion layer. An electrically conductive polymer material is placed between the anode catalyst layer and the anode electrode, and operable to limit transfer of the fuel reactant to the anode catalyst layer.
Filed: 4/6/2011
Application Number: US13081381A
Tech ID: SD 11172.0
This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
Data from Derwent World Patents Index, provided by Clarivate
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