An electrochemical cell has a membrane located between two flow field plates. On a first side of the membrane, there is a porous support surrounded by a seal between the membrane and the flow field plate. There is a gap between the porous support and the seal at the surface of the membrane. On a second side of the membrane, there is a seal between the membrane and the flow field plate located inside of the gap in plan view. The electrochemical cell is useful, for example, in high pressure or differential pressure electrolysis in which the second side of the membrane will be consistently exposed to a higher pressure than the first side of the membrane.

A fuel cell includes a flow guide, a component for allowing a first fluid to flow from a first manifold to a second manifold and through a reactive zone, a peripheral seal disposed between the flow guide and the component, an intermediate seal disposed between the flow guide and the component, the intermediate seal being encircled by the peripheral seal and encircling the reactive zone, another component opposite the flow guide to allow a second fluid to flow from a third manifold to a fourth manifold and through another reactive zone, and a fluid flow circuit provided between the intermediate seal and the peripheral seal between fifth and sixth manifolds. One of the fifth and sixth manifolds is separated from the first to fourth manifolds by the intermediate seal.

A fuel cell includes a flow guide, a component for allowing a first fluid to flow from a first manifold to a second manifold and through a reactive zone, a peripheral seal disposed between the flow guide and the component, an intermediate seal disposed between the flow guide and the component, the intermediate seal being encircled by the peripheral seal and encircling the reactive zone, another component opposite the flow guide to allow a second fluid to flow from a third manifold to a fourth manifold and through another reactive zone, and a fluid flow circuit provided between the intermediate seal and the peripheral seal between fifth and sixth manifolds. One of the fifth and sixth manifolds is separated from the first to fourth manifolds by the intermediate seal.

Provided is a manufacturing method of a fuel-cell single cell including a membrane-electrode assembly, an anode gas diffusion layer, a cathode gas diffusion layer, and a frame-shaped resin frame to which a peripheral edge portion of the membrane-electrode assembly is fixed. The method includes an adhesive application step of applying an adhesive by screen printing to a predetermined area of the resin frame while fixing the resin frame by suction, and a stacking step and a UV irradiation step of bonding together the resin frame to which the adhesive has been applied and the membrane-electrode assembly by the adhesive.

Provided is a manufacturing method of a fuel-cell single cell including a membrane-electrode assembly, an anode gas diffusion layer, a cathode gas diffusion layer, and a frame-shaped resin frame to which a peripheral edge portion of the membrane-electrode assembly is fixed. The method includes an adhesive application step of applying an adhesive by screen printing to a predetermined area of the resin frame while fixing the resin frame by suction, and a stacking step and a UV irradiation step of bonding together the resin frame to which the adhesive has been applied and the membrane-electrode assembly by the adhesive.

The fuel cell comprises for each MEA: an anodic volume for the circulation of an anodic fluid between the anode of the MEA and a bipolar plate and a cathodic volume for the circulation of a cathodic fluid between the anode of the MEA and another bipolar plate, one of the anodic volume and the cathodic volume is sealed by a cordon of a sealing material extending along a peripheral outer edge of the MEA, wherein the sealing material is in direct contact with the MEA and the corresponding bipolar plate; wherein the other of the anodic volume and the cathodic volume is sealed off from the fluid circulating in the volume by a direct contact line of the MEA with the corresponding bipolar plate, the contact line extending along a peripheral outer edge of the MEA.

The fuel cell comprises for each MEA: an anodic volume for the circulation of an anodic fluid between the anode of the MEA and a bipolar plate and a cathodic volume for the circulation of a cathodic fluid between the anode of the MEA and another bipolar plate, one of the anodic volume and the cathodic volume is sealed by a cordon of a sealing material extending along a peripheral outer edge of the MEA, wherein the sealing material is in direct contact with the MEA and the corresponding bipolar plate; wherein the other of the anodic volume and the cathodic volume is sealed off from the fluid circulating in the volume by a direct contact line of the MEA with the corresponding bipolar plate, the contact line extending along a peripheral outer edge of the MEA.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell, which membrane electrode assembly comprises a membrane (2) with a catalyst layer (3) and a frame (6) arranged on the same side of the membrane (2) and a gap (5) between the catalyst layer (3) and the frame (6). To allow an easy and cost-effective way for manufacturing such a membrane assembly, the manufacturing method comprises the following steps: • - Positioning a first decal layer (10, 13), which is made of the same material as the first catalyst layer (3), on the first side of the membrane (2) in a way that the first decal layer (10, 13) overlaps the frame (6), • - positioning a second decal layer (10, 14), which is made of the same material as the second catalyst layer (4), on the second side of the membrane (2), • - pressing the first decal layer (10, 13) and the second decal layer (10, 14) against each other with the membrane (2) and the frame (6) positioned in-between.

Provided is a fuel-cell unit cell having a first gas diffusion layer that is laid on a first surface of a membrane-electrode assembly such that an outer peripheral edge portion thereof protrudes from the first surface of the membrane-electrode assembly. At a first part of the fuel-cell unit cell: the fuel-cell unit cell has a bonding layer; between the membrane-electrode assembly and a portion of the first gas diffusion layer on an inner side from the outer peripheral edge portion thereof, the bonding layer bonds the membrane-electrode assembly and the portion together; and between a support frame and the outer peripheral edge portion of the first gas diffusion layer, between the support frame and a first separator, and/or between the support frame and a second separator, the bonding layer bonds the support frame and the outer peripheral edge portion or the separator together.

Provided is a fuel-cell unit cell having a first gas diffusion layer that is laid on a first surface of a membrane-electrode assembly such that an outer peripheral edge portion thereof protrudes from the first surface of the membrane-electrode assembly. At a first part of the fuel-cell unit cell: the fuel-cell unit cell has a bonding layer; between the membrane-electrode assembly and a portion of the first gas diffusion layer on an inner side from the outer peripheral edge portion thereof, the bonding layer bonds the membrane-electrode assembly and the portion together; and between a support frame and the outer peripheral edge portion of the first gas diffusion layer, between the support frame and a first separator, and/or between the support frame and a second separator, the bonding layer bonds the support frame and the outer peripheral edge portion or the separator together.