A fuel cell system includes a plurality of stacked bipolar plate assemblies. Each of the plurality of stacked bipolar plate assemblies includes a first subgasket including a first peripheral edge. The first subgasket supports a first membrane electrode assembly (MEA). A second subgasket including a second peripheral edge. The second subgasket supports a second MEA. A bipolar plate is disposed between the first subgasket and the second subgasket. The bipolar plate has a first side defining a first plurality of passages receptive of a cathode fluid, a second side defining a second plurality of passages receptive of an anode fluid, and a plurality of coolant passages defined between the first subgasket and the second subgasket. A seal bead extends around the bipolar plate. The seal bead seals against the first subgasket and the second subgasket. An energy attenuating bead extends about the bipolar plate spaced from the seal bead.

The present invention provides: a laminate for a gasket of a fuel cell, the laminate including a heat seal layer, having excellent moisture and heat resistance, and being suitable for a gasket of a fuel cell; a gasket; a membrane electrode junction including the gasket; and a fuel cell. A laminate includes a base material and a heat seal layer arranged on the base material. The heat seal layer is a reaction product of a heat sealant containing an amorphous polyester polyol (A), an epoxy resin (B), and an isocyanate compound (C). The amorphous polyester polyol (A) is a reaction product of a polyvalent carboxylic acid and a polyhydric alcohol. An amount of aromatic polyvalent carboxylic acid in the polyvalent carboxylic acid is 95% by mass or more. A glass transition temperature of the amorphous polyester polyol (A) is −20° C. or more and 40° C. or less.

The present invention provides: a laminate for a gasket of a fuel cell, the laminate including a heat seal layer, having excellent moisture and heat resistance, and being suitable for a gasket of a fuel cell; a gasket; a membrane electrode junction including the gasket; and a fuel cell. A laminate includes a base material and a heat seal layer arranged on the base material. The heat seal layer is a reaction product of a heat sealant containing an amorphous polyester polyol (A), an epoxy resin (B), and an isocyanate compound (C). The amorphous polyester polyol (A) is a reaction product of a polyvalent carboxylic acid and a polyhydric alcohol. An amount of aromatic polyvalent carboxylic acid in the polyvalent carboxylic acid is 95% by mass or more. A glass transition temperature of the amorphous polyester polyol (A) is −20° C. or more and 40° C. or less.

The invention relates to a method for producing a catalyst coated membrane (19) for a fuel cell (10), wherein the catalyst coated membrane (19) has a membrane (11) and a catalyst layer (12, 13) of a catalytic material arranged on at least one of its flat sides, as well as a nonrectangular active area (20), which is restricted in one direction by two outer sides (30) opposite one another. The method comprises a continuous application of the catalytic material to a membrane material (33) while creating a constant coating width (B) such that an area (35) coated with the catalytic material corresponds to at least the active area (20). A provision is that the membrane material (33) be coated with the catalytic material such that a coating direction (D) has an angle with respect to the opposite outer sides (30) of the active area (20) that is not equal to 90° and not equal to 0°.

The invention relates to a method for producing a catalyst coated membrane (19) for a fuel cell (10), wherein the catalyst coated membrane (19) has a membrane (11) and a catalyst layer (12, 13) of a catalytic material arranged on at least one of its flat sides, as well as a nonrectangular active area (20), which is restricted in one direction by two outer sides (30) opposite one another. The method comprises a continuous application of the catalytic material to a membrane material (33) while creating a constant coating width (B) such that an area (35) coated with the catalytic material corresponds to at least the active area (20). A provision is that the membrane material (33) be coated with the catalytic material such that a coating direction (D) has an angle with respect to the opposite outer sides (30) of the active area (20) that is not equal to 90° and not equal to 0°.

A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly having electrodes disposed on both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane, a gas diffusion layer stacked on one surface of the membrane electrode assembly, a resin frame assembled onto the one surface of the membrane electrode assembly so as to surround the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer apart from the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer, and a resin sheet disposed between the gas diffusion layer and the resin frame, and the membrane electrode assembly so as to fill a space between the inner periphery of the resin frame and the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer.

A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly having electrodes disposed on both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane, a gas diffusion layer stacked on one surface of the membrane electrode assembly, a resin frame assembled onto the one surface of the membrane electrode assembly so as to surround the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer apart from the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer, and a resin sheet disposed between the gas diffusion layer and the resin frame, and the membrane electrode assembly so as to fill a space between the inner periphery of the resin frame and the outer periphery of the gas diffusion layer.

An electrochemical device comprises a stack consisting of a plurality of electrochemical units which succeed one another along a stack direction and which each include a membrane electrode arrangement, a bipolar plate and at least one sealing element, at least one medium channel which extends along the stack direction, a flow field through which a medium can flow from the medium channel to another medium channel, and a connection channel through which the flow field and the medium channel are in fluid connection with one another, wherein the sealing arrangement includes a connection channel region in which the sealing arrangement crosses the connection channel, and at least one neighboring region which is located in front of or behind the connection channel region in the longitudinal direction of the sealing arrangement, wherein the sealing arrangement has a lower average height in the connection channel region than in the neighboring region.

The manufacturing method for the fuel cell unit includes a stacking step and a laser irradiation step. In the stacking step, a stacked portion including, stacked together, a resin frame member of a resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly and an outer peripheral portion of a separator is placed on a metal spacer. The resin frame member at a joining target portion of the stacked portion is placed so as to face a recess of the metal spacer. In the laser irradiation step, the separator at the joining target portion in a state where the resin frame member faces the recess is irradiated with a laser beam to thereby form a welded portion where the resin frame member and the separator are welded to each other.

A fuel cell stack includes power generation cells, which are stacked in a vertical direction. Each power generation cell is configured to generated power by using gas. Each power generation cell includes a first hole and a second hole. The first holes of the power generation cells form a gas manifold. The gas manifold extends in the vertical direction, and the gas flows through the gas manifold. The second holes of the power generation cells form a passage. The passage is adjacent to the gas manifold and extends in the vertical direction. The gas manifold and the passage are connected to each other at upper ends of the gas manifold and the passage.