The present invention relates to a method of non-destructively measuring a thickness of a reinforcement membrane, and more particularly, to a method of non-destructively measuring a thickness of a hydrogen ion exchange reinforcement membrane for a fuel cell, in which the reinforcement membrane has a symmetric three-layer structure including a reinforcement base layer and pure water layers disposed at opposing sides of the reinforcement base layer, including performing total non-destructive inspection and omitting a process of analyzing a position by means of a thickness peak of a power spectrum of the respective layers of the reinforcement membrane.

The present invention relates to a method of non-destructively measuring a thickness of a reinforcement membrane, and more particularly, to a method of non-destructively measuring a thickness of a hydrogen ion exchange reinforcement membrane for a fuel cell, in which the reinforcement membrane has a symmetric three-layer structure including a reinforcement base layer and pure water layers disposed at opposing sides of the reinforcement base layer, including performing total non-destructive inspection and omitting a process of analyzing a position by means of a thickness peak of a power spectrum of the respective layers of the reinforcement membrane.

A coating apparatus for double-sidedly coating a porous web with a dope, includes: (i) a slot-die coating head comprising an upper lip, a lower lip and a slot between the upper lip and the lower lip, (ii) a counter element arranged opposite the lower lip across a reference plane, (iii) a slit defined between the lower lip and the counter element for passing a porous web therebetween, the slot opening up towards the slit, and (iv) a web positioning element. The web positioning element is the upper lip of the slot-die coating head. The upper lip protrudes up to the reference plane so that there is an offset between the upper lip and the lower lip, or a spacing structure on the counter element. The spacing structure protrudes up to the reference plane so that there is an offset between the spacing structure and the counter element.

The present invention provides: a composition including 100.0 parts by mass of a perfluorocarbon polymer having an ion-exchange group (A); and 0.1 to 200.0 parts by mass of a basic polymer (B), and a composition including a polyimide having a structure represented by formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein Y represents a tetravalent organic group.

The present invention provides: a composition including 100.0 parts by mass of a perfluorocarbon polymer having an ion-exchange group (A); and 0.1 to 200.0 parts by mass of a basic polymer (B), and a composition including a polyimide having a structure represented by formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein Y represents a tetravalent organic group.

A polymer electrolyte membrane having improved chemical or mechanical durability is provided. The present disclosure relates to a polymer electrolyte membrane, and the polymer electrolyte membrane according to the present disclosure comprises a porous support and a composite layer containing a first ionomer filled in the porous support, wherein the polymer electrolyte membrane comprises a first segment having a first durability and a second segment having a second durability, and the first durability is higher than the second durability.

A polymer electrolyte membrane having improved chemical or mechanical durability is provided. The present disclosure relates to a polymer electrolyte membrane, and the polymer electrolyte membrane according to the present disclosure comprises a porous support and a composite layer containing a first ionomer filled in the porous support, wherein the polymer electrolyte membrane comprises a first segment having a first durability and a second segment having a second durability, and the first durability is higher than the second durability.

Disclosed are fuel cell systems, reinforced membrane electrode assemblies, and methods for fabricating a reinforced membrane electrode assembly. In an example, a disclosed method includes depositing an electrode ink onto a first substrate to form a first electrode layer, and applying a first porous reinforcement layer onto a surface of the first electrode layer to form a first catalyst coated substrate. The method also includes depositing a first ionomer solution onto the first catalyst coated substrate to form a first ionomer layer. A membrane porous reinforcement layer is applied onto a surface of the first ionomer layer to form a reinforced membrane layer.

Disclosed are fuel cell systems, reinforced membrane electrode assemblies, and methods for fabricating a reinforced membrane electrode assembly. In an example, a disclosed method includes depositing an electrode ink onto a first substrate to form a first electrode layer, and applying a first porous reinforcement layer onto a surface of the first electrode layer to form a first catalyst coated substrate. The method also includes depositing a first ionomer solution onto the first catalyst coated substrate to form a first ionomer layer. A membrane porous reinforcement layer is applied onto a surface of the first ionomer layer to form a reinforced membrane layer.

The present invention provides a process for the manufacture of a reinforced membrane-seal assembly, the process comprising, forming one or more strips of an ion-conducting component in a plane on a temporary carrier component, forming a plurality of strips of seal component in the same plane on the temporary carrier component, such that the one or more strips of an ion-conducting component lie between two of said strips of seal component, wherein a planar reinforcing component comprising a plurality of pores is provided in the plane, such that the ion-conducting component and the seal component fill the plurality of pores, the one or more strips of an ion-conducting component, the plurality of strips of seal component and the planar reinforcing component thereby together form a reinforced membrane-seal assembly, and wherein each strip of ion-conducting component extends from a first end of said assembly to a second opposite end.