Fuel cell with interdigitated porous flow-field

Patent · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:871014

Wilson, Mahlon S ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

A polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell is formed with an improved system for distributing gaseous reactants to the membrane surface. A PEM fuel cell has an ionic transport membrane with opposed catalytic surfaces formed thereon and separates gaseous reactants that undergo reactions at the catalytic surfaces of the membrane. The fuel cell may also include a thin gas diffusion layer having first and second sides with a first side contacting at least one of the catalytic surfaces. A macroporous flow-field with interdigitated inlet and outlet reactant channels contacts the second side of the thin gas diffusion layer for distributing one of the gaseous reactants over the thin gas diffusion layer for transport to an adjacent one of the catalytic surfaces of the membrane. The porous flow field may be formed from a hydrophilic material and provides uniform support across the backside of the electrode assembly to facilitate the use of thin backing layers.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: Regents of University of California Office of Technology Transfer (Alameda, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5641586
• OSTI ID: 871014
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/429/
adjacent
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backside
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contacting
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diffusion
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distributing
electrode
electrode assembly
electrolyte
electrolyte membrane
facilitate
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form support
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fuel
fuel cell
gas
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gaseous
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hydrophilic
improved
inlet
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ionic
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macroporous
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opposed
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pem fuel
polymer
polymer electrolyte
porous
provides
provides uniform
reactant
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reactants
reactions
separates
support
surface
surfaces
thereon
transport
transport membrane
undergo
uniform