A process (30) for producing a distributor plate (1) for an electrochemical system, wherein the distributor plate (1) has at least one metal foil (2) having a first surface (3) and a second surface (4) and the process (30) has the following process steps: a) pretreatment (31) of the metal foil (2); b) mask formation (32) at least on the first surface (3) of the pretreated metal foil (2); c) structure formation (33) at least on the first surface (3) of the metal foil (2) provided with the mask (10), as a result of which a first fluid distributor structure (5) is formed; d) mask removal (36).

A fuel cell is provided which includes a catalyst layer to which hydrogen gas or air are introduced through both surfaces thereof a first separator disposed at a first side of the catalyst layer and including a plurality of first channels such that a first reactant among hydrogen gas or air flows; and a second separator disposed at the second side of the catalyst layer and including a plurality of second channels disposed in a direction perpendicular to the first channels. Particularly, each of the second channels includes a plurality of ventilation apertures such that a second reactant among the hydrogen and the air flows in a direction perpendicular to the second channels.

A fuel cell is provided which includes a catalyst layer to which hydrogen gas or air are introduced through both surfaces thereof a first separator disposed at a first side of the catalyst layer and including a plurality of first channels such that a first reactant among hydrogen gas or air flows; and a second separator disposed at the second side of the catalyst layer and including a plurality of second channels disposed in a direction perpendicular to the first channels. Particularly, each of the second channels includes a plurality of ventilation apertures such that a second reactant among the hydrogen and the air flows in a direction perpendicular to the second channels.

The invention concerns a fuel cell (100), comprising a stack (1) of alternating bipolar plates (113) and membrane electrode assemblies (114) as well as flow channels (104, 105) that are designed between a bipolar plate (113) and a membrane electrode assembly (114) and flow channels (104, 105) that are designed within a bipolar plate (113) as well as a motor vehicle with such a fuel cell. Provision is made that a surface (101) of at least a part of the flow channels (104, 105) that is overflowable by a fluid has, regarding its direction of extension at least in part a hydrophobic segment (101a) and a hydrophilic segment (101b) with regard to a cross-section of the flow channel (104, 105).

The invention concerns a fuel cell (100), comprising a stack (1) of alternating bipolar plates (113) and membrane electrode assemblies (114) as well as flow channels (104, 105) that are designed between a bipolar plate (113) and a membrane electrode assembly (114) and flow channels (104, 105) that are designed within a bipolar plate (113) as well as a motor vehicle with such a fuel cell. Provision is made that a surface (101) of at least a part of the flow channels (104, 105) that is overflowable by a fluid has, regarding its direction of extension at least in part a hydrophobic segment (101a) and a hydrophilic segment (101b) with regard to a cross-section of the flow channel (104, 105).

A fuel cell is provided with a power generation unit; the power generation unit is provided with a first metal separator, a first electrolyte membrane/electrode structure, a second metal separator, a second electrolyte membrane/electrode structure, and a third metal separator. The first electrolyte membrane/electrode structure is provided with a first resin frame member at the outer periphery, and the first resin frame member is provided with an inlet buffer section positioned outside a power generation region and coupled to a first oxidant gas flow path, and a protruding section, which is one part of an inlet coupling flow path coupling together the inlet buffer section and an oxidant gas inlet communication hole.

A fuel cell is provided with a power generation unit; the power generation unit is provided with a first metal separator, a first electrolyte membrane/electrode structure, a second metal separator, a second electrolyte membrane/electrode structure, and a third metal separator. The first electrolyte membrane/electrode structure is provided with a first resin frame member at the outer periphery, and the first resin frame member is provided with an inlet buffer section positioned outside a power generation region and coupled to a first oxidant gas flow path, and a protruding section, which is one part of an inlet coupling flow path coupling together the inlet buffer section and an oxidant gas inlet communication hole.

Provided is a sheet press molding method by which a molded product having a small plate thickness deviation is obtained. Such a sheet press molding method is provided with a process in which a molded product (30) having a recess and protrusion pattern portion (32), to which a recess and protrusion pattern (3) is transferred, is formed by pressurizing a sheet-shaped material (20) including 60 vol. % to 95 vol. % of a filler and a resin composition using a pair of molds (40) having the predetermined recess and protrusion pattern (3) composed of recessed portions (3a, 3b, and 3c) and protrusion portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) in at least one of a pair of the molds, in which the mold provided with a dummy pattern (24) composed of dummy protrusion portions (24a) that offset the difference between the total volume of the protrusion portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) formed on the inside (14) and the total volume of the recessed portions (3a, 3b, and 3c) disposed between the protruding portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) and the side surfaces (14b) of the inside (14) and the recessed portions (3a, 3b, and 3c) disposed between the protruding portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) on the inside (14) is used as a pair of the molds (40).

Provided is a sheet press molding method by which a molded product having a small plate thickness deviation is obtained. Such a sheet press molding method is provided with a process in which a molded product (30) having a recess and protrusion pattern portion (32), to which a recess and protrusion pattern (3) is transferred, is formed by pressurizing a sheet-shaped material (20) including 60 vol. % to 95 vol. % of a filler and a resin composition using a pair of molds (40) having the predetermined recess and protrusion pattern (3) composed of recessed portions (3a, 3b, and 3c) and protrusion portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) in at least one of a pair of the molds, in which the mold provided with a dummy pattern (24) composed of dummy protrusion portions (24a) that offset the difference between the total volume of the protrusion portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) formed on the inside (14) and the total volume of the recessed portions (3a, 3b, and 3c) disposed between the protruding portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) and the side surfaces (14b) of the inside (14) and the recessed portions (3a, 3b, and 3c) disposed between the protruding portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) on the inside (14) is used as a pair of the molds (40).

In order to provide a membrane electrode assembly that can further improve power generation performances of a fuel cell, the present invention allows a rib portion (22) that separates mutually adjacent gas flow passages (21) from each other to have a porosity lower than the porosity of a lower area (23) of the rib portion. Thus, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the rib portion and excessive permeation of a reaction gas, and consequently to further improve the power generation performances.