A direct methanol fuel cell includes a cathode electrode, an anode electrode and a membrane located between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. An anode hydrophilic microporous plate (HMP) is located at an anode side of the fuel cell. The anode HMP has a front side and a back side opposite the front side, and the front side is positioned closer to the anode electrode than the back side. An anode gas diffusion layer is located in an anode chamber defined between the anode electrode and the anode HMP. A flow of methanol fuel is introduced into the back side of the anode hydrophilic microporous plate or to the anode chamber.

An electrochemical reaction cell comprising an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The MEA is positioned between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The anode electrode, the cathode electrode, and the MEA each have a corrugated shape and are contained within a recess of a housing.

The invention provides a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell on which a microporous layer is disposed, which can have lower contact resistance with electrode catalyst layers and improved gas diffusion performance. The gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell of the disclosure has a conductive porous substrate layer and a microporous layer laminated in that order, wherein the microporous layer comprises carbon particles and a water-repellent resin, and has an impregnating portion that impregnates the conductive porous substrate layer and a non-impregnating portion that does not impregnate the conductive porous substrate layer, the thickness of the non-impregnating portion is greater than 0.0 μm and 20.0 μm or smaller, and the thickness of the impregnating portion is 29% or lower with respect to the total thickness of the microporous layer.

A manufacturing method for a fuel cell may comprise preparing an electrode sheet including at least an electrolyte membrane; arranging a joining material constituted of a thermoplastic resin in a frame shape on the electrolyte membrane; arranging a support frame having an opening on the joining material arranged on the electrolyte membrane; performing a first laser irradiation process in which the support frame is irradiated with a laser beam such that a first portion of the joining material between the support frame and the electrolyte membrane melts and the electrolyte membrane and the support frame are welded to each other; and performing a second laser irradiation process in which a second portion of the joining material that is positioned inside the opening of the support frame is irradiated with a laser beam such that the second portion of the joining material melts and is welded to the electrolyte membrane.

A manufacturing process includes: depositing a first catalyst on a first gas diffusion layer (GDL) to form a first catalyst-coated GDL; depositing a first ionomer on the first catalyst-coated GDL to form a first gas diffusion electrode (GDE); depositing a second catalyst on a second GDL to form a second catalyst-coated GDL; depositing a second ionomer on the second catalyst-coated GDL to form a second GDE; and laminating the first GDE with the second GDE and with an electrolyte membrane disposed between the first GDE and the second GDE to form a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). A MEA includes a first GDL; a second GDL; an electrolyte membrane disposed between the first GDL and the second GDL; a first catalyst layer disposed between the first GDL and the electrolyte membrane; and a second catalyst layer disposed between the second GDL and the electrolyte membrane, wherein a thickness of the electrolyte membrane is about 15 μm or less.

A method for inspecting a membrane electrode structure (1) which includes a first step in which detection medium capable of detecting elements of a first electrode catalyst layer (12) and a second electrode catalyst layer (22) and an element of a metal foreign matter (40) is sent along a thickness direction from the side of a first electrode layer (10) to a second electrode layer (20) side to obtain a thickness direction profile of a detection signal, and a second step in which an analysis unit identifies a thickness direction position of the metal foreign matter (40), from intensity of the detection signal in the thickness direction profile, and in which the analysis unit identifies thickness direction positions of the first and second electrode catalyst layer (12)(22), or a thickness direction position of an electrolyte membrane (30), from the intensity of the detection signal in the thickness direction profile.

Disclosed is a pouch type metal-air battery. In the pouch type metal-air battery, when the electrolyte inside the cell comes out of the electrode assembly by applying external pressure, the electrolyte does not reach the space partitioned by the gas diffusion layer, the electrode assembly and the exterior material, due to the step caused by the projection part of the gas diffusion layer. As such, a plurality of pores in the exterior material, which corresponds to the space, may not be blocked. Therefore, since oxygen selectively permeated from the exterior material flows into the gas diffusion layer, and flows into the electrode assembly through the diffusion portion of the gas diffusion layer, the contact resistance with pressure may improve and the initial driving conditions and driving reproducibility may be secured.

Methods and compositions for making fuel cell components are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a substrate, and forming or adhering an electrode on the substrate, wherein the forming includes depositing an aqueous mixture comprising water, a water-insoluble component, a catalyst, and an ionomer. The water-insoluble component comprises a water-insoluble alcohol, a water-insoluble carboxylic acid, or a combination thereof. The use of such water-insoluble components results in a stable liquid medium with reduced reticulation upon drying, reduced dissolution of the substrate, and reduced penetration of the pores of the substrate.

A gas diffusion layer for an electrolyser or for a fuel cell comprises a first nonwoven layer of metal fibers provided for contacting a proton exchange membrane, a second nonwoven layer of metal fibers, and a third porous metal layer. The first nonwoven layer of metal fibers comprises metal fibers of a first equivalent diameter. The second nonwoven layer of metal fibers comprises metal fibers of a second equivalent diameter. The second equivalent diameter is larger than the first equivalent diameter. The third porous metal layer comprises open pores. The open pores of the third porous metal layer are larger than the open pores of the second nonwoven layer of metal fibers. The second nonwoven layer is provided in between and contacting the first nonwoven layer and the third porous metal layer. The second nonwoven layer is metallurgically bonded to the first nonwoven layer and to the third porous metal layer. The thickness of the third porous metal layer is at least two times—and preferably at least three times—the thickness of the first nonwoven layer.

A gas diffusion electrode for a fuel cell which comprises a gas-permeable substrate that has functional groups is provided, said groups being capable of complexing cations, and catalytically active noble metal particles and/or atoms, said particles and/or atoms being bonded by the functional groups to a surface of a first flat side of the substrate and/or in a surface-proximal region of a first flat side of the substrate. The gas diffusion electrode according to the invention combines the functions of a gas diffusion layer and a catalytic layer in an integral component and is distinguished by a high long-term stability with respect to degradation phenomena of the catalyst.