Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an electrolyte membrane for fuel cells. The method includes preparing an electrolyte layer including one or more ion conductive polymers that form a proton movement channel, and permeating a gas from a first surface of the electrolyte layer to a second surface of the electrolyte layer.

Method for interconnecting components of an electronic system, the method comprising the steps of: a) depositing a sintering solution onto a first component in order to form an interconnection layer, the sintering solution comprising a solvent, metal nanoparticles dispersed in the solvent, and a stabilizing agent adsorbed onto the metal nanoparticles. the metal nanoparticles comprising for more than 95.0%, preferably for more than 99.0% of their mass a metal selected from silver, gold, copper and alloys thereof and having a polyhedral shape with an aspect ratio of more than 0.8, b) eliminating, at least partially, the solvent from the interconnection layer such as to form at least one agglomerate in which the stabilizing agent binds them together and maintains at least a portion of the metal nanoparticles at a distance from each other, c) debinding and sintering the interconnection layer by bringing the agglomerate into contact with at least one destabilizing agent configured to desorb the stabilizing agent from the metal nanoparticles in order to aggregate and coalesce said metal nanoparticles between themselves, and d) depositing a second component in contact with the interconnection layer before or during debinding or sintering.

An electrolyte membrane of a membrane-electrode assembly is formed by a manufacturing method yielding a membrane with improved chemical durability. The manufacturing method includes preparing an antioxidant solution, mixing the antioxidant solution and a first ionomer dispersion solution, drying the mixture to produce a composite having an antioxidant and a first ionomer surrounding the antioxidant, introducing and mixing the composite with a second ionomer dispersion solution, and applying that mixture to a substrate and drying the mixture to manufacture an electrolyte membrane. The resulting electrolyte membrane includes the composite having an antioxidant in an ionic state and a first ionomer surrounding the antioxidant.

An electrolyte membrane of a membrane-electrode assembly has improved chemical durability. The electrolyte membrane includes a composite, which includes an antioxidant in an ionic state and a first ionomer surrounding the antioxidant. The composite is dispersed in a second ionomer, which is a polymer matrix. A manufacturing method for the electrolyte membrane includes preparing an antioxidant solution, mixing the antioxidant solution and a first ionomer dispersion solution, drying the mixture to produce a composite having an antioxidant and a first ionomer surrounding the antioxidant, introducing and mixing the composite with a second ionomer dispersion solution, and applying that mixture to a substrate and drying the mixture to manufacture an electrolyte membrane.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a separator for a fuel cell comprising: accumulating fibers obtained by electrospinning a spinning solution in which a polymer and a solvent are mixed to obtain a first support having first pores in a three-dimensional network structure; electrospraying a spraying solution in which a first ion exchange resin and a solvent are mixed to spray droplets of the first ion exchange resin on the first support body; accumulating fibers obtained by electrospinning a spinning solution in which a polymer and a solvent are mixed on the first support to form a second support having second pores in a three-dimensional network structure; and electrospraying a spraying solution in which a second ion exchange resin and a solvent are mixed to spray droplets of the second ion exchange resin on the second support body and fill the second ion exchange resin in the second pores.

Disclosed are an apparatus for manufacturing an electrolyte membrane and a method for manufacturing an electrolyte membrane using the same, which may prevent discoloration of the electrolyte membrane through a controlled drying process of the electrolyte membrane. The electrolyte membrane manufactured by the method of the present invention may not be discolored and performance and durability of fuel cells using the electrolyte membrane may be improved due to uniform drying of the electrolyte membrane during the manufacturing. For example, competitively simultaneous evaporation of solvents in an ionomer composition in the drying process may be prevented.

A post-processing method of a polymer electrolyte membrane, which anneals and stretches a polymer electrolyte membrane including a hydrocarbon-based copolymer in a vapor atmosphere of a solvent.

Simplified methods are disclosed for preparing a catalyst coated membrane that is reinforced with a porous polymer sheet (e.g. an expanded polymer sheet) for use in solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The methods involve forming a solid polymer electrolyte membrane by coating membrane ionomer solution onto a first catalyst layer and then applying the porous polymer sheet to the membrane ionomer solution coating, while it is still wet, such that the membrane ionomer solution only partially fills the pores of the porous polymer sheet. A second catalyst ink is then applied which fills the remaining pores of the porous polymer sheet. Not only are such methods simpler than many conventional methods, but surprisingly this can result in a marked improvement in fuel cell performance characteristics.

A heat treatment apparatus for a fuel cell membrane-electrode assembly is provided. The heat treatment apparatus includes a hot press installed on upper and lower sides of feeding path to move in the vertical direction on a frame and which presses the electrode catalyst layers on upper and lower surfaces of the membrane-electrode assembly sheet. A plurality of gripper modules are installed at set intervals in a base member along a feeding direction of the membrane-electrode assembly sheet, and selectively grip both side edges of the membrane-electrode assembly sheet. A driving unit reciprocally moves the base member in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the membrane-electrode assembly sheet and in the feeding direction of the membrane-electrode assembly sheet.

Herein discussed is an electrode comprising a copper or copper oxide phase and a ceramic phase, wherein the copper or copper oxide phase and the ceramic phase are sintered and are inter-dispersed with one another. Further discussed herein is a method of making a copper-containing electrode comprising: (a) forming a dispersion comprising ceramic particles and copper or copper oxide particles; (b) depositing the dispersion onto a substrate to form a slice; and (c) sintering the slice using electromagnetic radiation.