DIRECT OXIDATION FUEL CELL

• Main Authors: MATSUDA HIROAKI, UEDA HIDEYUKI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 12.11.2009
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS,e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USERAPPLICATIONS; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

The direct oxidation fuel cell of the invention includes at least one unit cell, the unit cell including: a membrane-electrode assembly including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween; an anode-side separator; and a cathode-side separator. The cathode includes a first cathode catalyst layer, a diffusion layer being in contact with the cathode-side separator, and an intermediate layer disposed therebetween. The intermediate layer includes a second cathode catalyst layer and a porous composite layer, the porous composite layer containing a hydrophobic material and an electron-conductive material. The anode-side separator has a fuel flow channel, and the cathode-side separator has an oxidant flow channel. At least a portion of the intermediate layer facing the upstream portion of the fuel flow channel includes the second cathode catalyst layer, and at least portions of the intermediate layer facing the midstream and downstream portions of the fuel flow channel include the porous composite layer.