A manufacturing device of a membrane-electrode assembly for fuel cell includes a membrane unwinder unwinding and supplying a polymer electrolyte membrane of a roll shape; a film unwinder unwinding and supplying a release film of a roll shape respectively coated with an anode catalyst electrode layer and a cathode catalyst electrode layer with a predetermined interval in an upper and lower sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane; upper and lower bonding rolls respectively disposed at the upper and lower sides of a progressing path of the polymer electrolyte membrane and the release film and pressed to an upper surface and a lower surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane; and a protection film unwinder unwinding and supplying a protection film between adhered surfaces of the release film and the upper and lower bonding rolls.

An intermediate material of a thermoplastic prepreg for a fuel cell separation plate comprises a hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film and a fiber base. The hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film has a degree of crystallization of 1 to 20%, a thickness of 3 to 50 μm, and (iii) a content of an electroconductive material of 1 to 20 wt. %. The film is laminated on at least one surface of the fiber base. The thermoplastic prepreg for a fuel cell separation plate is manufactured by pressurizing the thermoplastic prepreg intermediate material at a temperature higher than the melting point of the hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film. A fuel cell separation membrane manufactured using the thermoplastic prepreg intermediate material and thermoplastic prepreg is thin and light-weight, and have a good durability.

In one aspect of the present invention, a fiber mat is provided. The fiber mat includes at least one type of fibers, which includes one or more polymers. The fiber mat may be a single fiber mat which includes one type of fibers, or may be a dual or multi fiber mat which includes multiple types of fibers. The fibers may further include particles of a catalyst. The fiber mat may be used to form an electrode or a membrane. In a further aspect, a fuel cell membrane-electrode-assembly has an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a membrane disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. Each of the anode electrode, the cathode electrode and the membrane may be formed with a fiber mat.

An apparatus for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly includes a suction roller, a porous base material supply roller, a porous base material collection roller, a laminated base material supply roller, an assembly collection roller, an application part disposed around the suction roller and a maintenance space for the maintenance of the application part. The porous base material supply roller and the porous base material collection roller are disposed on the opposite side of the suction roller from the maintenance space as seen in a horizontal direction. The porous base material supply roller and the porous base material collection roller are collectively disposed on one side of the suction roller. This configuration ensures the maintenance space on the opposite side of the suction roller, and lowers the height dimension of the manufacturing apparatus.

The disclosure, in some aspects, relates to a method and apparatus for assembling a laminated fuel cell, in which an assembly head comprising one or more punches is used for dividing portions from sheet material and for transferring the portions to an electrode plate for lamination. Embodiments disclosed include a method of assembling a laminated fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of: providing a first sheet material (202b) to a first die (205); translating an assembly head (204) to a first location adjacent the first die, the assembly head comprising a first punch (501) having a surface (507) configured to engage with the first die; engaging the first punch with the first die to divide a portion from the first sheet material; adhering the first sheet portion to the surface of the first punch; translating the assembly head with the first sheet material portion to an assembly station (203) comprising an electrode plate (701); and applying the first sheet material portion to a surface of the electrode plate.

A process for producing an ion exchange precursor resin membrane involves co-extruding an ion exchange precursor resin with an incompatible polymer to form a multilayer film having a layer of the ion exchange precursor resin supported on a layer of the incompatible polymer. The layer of incompatible polymer is then removed from the layer of ion exchange precursor resin to provide the ion exchange precursor resin membrane. The ion exchange precursor resin membrane may be converted to an ion exchange resin membrane by hydrolysis, and subsequent acidification if desired. Ion exchange resin membranes and ion exchange precursor resin membranes having a uniform thickness of 25 microns or less may be formed by the process.

There is provided a technique that readily performs positioning of a joining member relative to a strip member during conveyance. A joining device 100 joins a gas diffusion layer 7 with a first catalyst electrode layer 2 of a strip body 5r which is a continuous strip member of a membrane electrode assembly 5, while conveying the strip body 5r. A controller 101 of the joining device 100 obtains a detection time t.sub.d based on a detection signal of a catalyst layer detector 130 when a front end 3e of a second catalyst electrode layer 3 placed on the strip body 5r passes through a detection point DP. The controller 101 subsequently obtains a joining position reach time t.sub.t based on the detection time t.sub.d when the gas diffusion layer 7 reaches a press point PP of joining rollers 152. The controller 101 starts conveying the gas diffusion layer 7 by means of a transfer at a conveying start time t.sub.s that is obtained based on the joining position reach time t.sub.t and a specified speed pattern of the transfer 141.

The present invention relates to a roll construction of laminated material that inhibits delamination of the polymer layer from a backer film upon unwinding of the roll construction. Particularly, aspects of the present invention are directed to a roll construction of laminated material prepared by a process that includes providing the laminated material having an ion-exchange resin layer, a release film, and a base layer, and feeding the laminated material to a roller to generate the roll of the laminated material. The laminated material is fed to the roller such that a first layer of the laminated material wound around the core includes the inner surface of the base layer of the first layer contacting an outer surface of the core.

A laminate includes a first sheet containing first fibers, a second sheet laminated on the first sheet and containing second fibers, and an adhesive disposed between the first sheet and the second sheet. At least a part of the adhesive is disposed in an end portion along the edge side of the laminate so as to form a linear first region, and the first sheet is adhered to the second sheet via the first region. Alternatively, a mass per unit area of the adhesive present in an end portion along an edge side of the laminate is larger than a mass per unit area of the adhesive present in a portion near a central part of the laminate rather than the end portion.

A method for producing a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly includes: a step of bonding a polymer electrolyte membrane and a first catalyst layer-including substrate; a step of making a cut by way of a laser beam so that the first catalyst layer-including substrate bonded with the polymer electrolyte membrane becomes a predetermined shape; a step of peeling an unwanted portion of the first catalyst layer-including substrate from the polymer electrolyte membrane; and a step of forming a second catalyst layer on the other face of the polymer electrolyte membrane, and punching out the polymer electrolyte membrane and second catalyst layer so that the first catalyst layer-including substrate of the predetermined shape bonded on one face is surrounded, in which the laser beam has a wavelength that penetrates the polymer electrolyte membrane without penetrating the first catalyst layer-including substrate.