Alkali saturated cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol membranes and fuel cell with same

Claim 1

A SUBSTANTIALLY SELF-SUSTAINING MEMBRANE BEING ADAPTED FOR USE IN A HYDROGEN-OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS FUEL CELL AT BOTH AMBIENT AND ELEVATED TEMPERATURES COMPRISING A WATER-INSOLUBLE, ALKALI-SATURATED, CROSS-LINKED POLYVINYL ALCOHOL HAVING EMBEDDED THEREIN FROM ABOUT 25 PERCENT TO ABOUT 85 PERCENT ALKALI-STABLE FILLER BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF TOTAL SOLIDS CONSISTING OF SAID CROSS-LINKED POLYVINYL ALCOHOL AND ALKALI-STABLE FILLER, SAID FILLER BEING IN PARTICLE FORM OF FROM 0.03 MICRON TO ABOUT 300 MICRONS IN DIAMETER AND WHEREIN SAID MEMBRANE WHEN EMPLOYED IN A HYDROGEN-OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS FUEL CELL MAINTAINED AT 80*C. YIELDS AFTER TWO HOURS A VOLTAGE OF AT LEAST 0.56 VOLT AND A CURRENT BETWEEN ABOUT 120 MILLIAMPERES PER SQUARE CENTIMETER AND 140 MILLIAMPERES PER SQUARE CENTIMETER. 8 A HYDROGEN-OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS FUEL CELL, WHEREIN THE MEMBRANE POSITIONED BETWEEN PAIR OF ELECTRODE IS A SUBSTANTIALLY SELF-SUSTAINING MEMBRANE POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODES, SAID MEMBRANE COMPRISING A WATER-IN SOLUBLE, ALKALI-SATURATED, CROSS-LINKED POLYVINYL ALCOHOL HAVING EMBEDDED THEREIN FROM ABOUT 25 PERCENT TO ABOUT 85 PERCENT ALKALI-STABLE, INERT FILLER, BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF TOTAL SOLIDS CONSISTING OF SAID CROSS-LINKED POLYVINYL ALCHOL AND ALKALI-STABLE, FILLER, SAID FILLER BEING IN PARTICLE FORM OF 0.03 MICRON TO ABOUT 300 MICRONS IN DIAMETER, SAID MEMBRANE BEING ADAPTED TO RAPIDLY EQUILIBRATE WATER FORMED DURING USE AND WHEREIN SAID MEMBRANE WHEN EMPLOYED IN A HYDROGEN-OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS FUEL CELL MAINTAINED AT 80*C. YIELDS AFTER TWO HOURS A VOLTAGE OF AT LEAST 0.56 VOLT AND A CURRENT BETWEEN ABOUT 120 MILLIAMPERES PER SQUARE CENTIMETER AND 140 MILLIAMPERES PER SQUARE CENTIMETER.