US4407905A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Fuel cell
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
•
Filing: 1981-10-14
•
Granted: 1983-10-04
•
Expires: 2001-10-14
Abstract
Abstract Fuel cell with improved and stabilized electrode performance having at least one gas diffusion electrode, where the gas diffusion electrode comprises an electronconductive, gas-permeable substrate and an electrode catalyst uniformly distributed on the substrate, the electrode catalyst comprising colonies each consisting of not more than 20 primary particles of noble metal each having a size of 10-30 A and being uniformly distributed and deposited on carrier powder.
Inventors
- 👤 Seizi Takeuchi
- 👤 Kenzo Ishii
- 👤 Toshiki Kahara
- 👤 Jinichi Imahashi
- 👤 Masato Takeuchi
- 👤 Hideo Okada
- 👤 Sigeru Okabe
- 👤 Shimpei Matsuda
- 👤 Fumito Nakajima
- 👤 Hirosi Tobita
- 👤 Kohki Tamura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 07:36
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M4/00; H01M4/86; H01M4/88; H01M4/8817; H01M4/8821; H01M4/8825; H01M4/8842; H01M4/90; H01M4/92; H01M2004/8678; H01M2004/8689; H01M2300/00; H01M2300/0002; H01M2300/0005; H01M2300/0008; H01M4/921; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
A fuel cell which comprises at least one gas diffusion electrode, said gas diffusion electrode comprising an electron-conductive, gas-permeable substrate and an electrode catalyst uniformly distributed on the substrate, the electrode catalyst comprising colonies each consisting of not more than about 20 primary particles of nobel metal, with each particle having a size of 10-30 A, and the colonies being uniformly distributed and deposited on carrier powder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
67 words
A fuel cell which comprises at least one gas diffusion electrode, said gas diffusion electrode comprising an electron-conductive, gas-permeable substrate and an electrode catalyst uniformly distributed on the substrate, the electrode catalyst comprising colonies each consisting of not more than about 20 primary particles of nobel metal, with each particle having a size of 10-30 A, and the colonies being uniformly distributed and deposited on carrier powder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the electrode catalyst is the one prepared by adding a reducing agent to an aqueous solution containing nobel metal ions or noble metal complex ions, a hydrophillic polymer compound, and carrier powder, thereby depositing the primary particles of noble metal onto the carrier powder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the electrode catalyst is the one prepared by adding a reducing agent and carbon fluoride to an aqueous solution containing noble metal ions or noble metal complex ions, a hydrophillic polymer compound, and carrier powder, thereby depositing the primary particles of noble metal onto the carrier powder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The fuel cell according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the gas diffusion electrode is the one prepared by mixing the electrode catalyst with a water repellent and water, applying the resulting mixture to an electron-conductive, gas-permeable substrate, and baking the coated substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The fuel cell according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the gas diffusion electrode is the one prepared by mixing the electrode catalyst with a water repellent, water and at least one of carbon fibers and graphite fluoride, applying the resulting mixture to an electron-conductive, gas-permeable substrate, and baking the coated substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fuel cell according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a dispersing agent is used for mixing the electrode catalyst and water.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The fuel cell according to claim 2 or 3, wherein 0.1-20% by weight of the noble metal is used on the basis of the carrier powder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The fuel cell according to claim 7, wherein 1-10% by weight of the noble metal is used on the basis of the carrier powder.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The fuel cell according to claim 3, wherein 10-80% by weight of the graphite fluoride is used on the basis of total of the noble metal and the carrier powder.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The fuel cell according to claim 2 or 3, wherein deposition of the primary particles of noble metal is carried out by heating-reduction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The fuel cell according to claim 10, wherein the heating-reduction is carried out at about 70° C. for 2-6 hours.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The fuel cell according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the reducing agent is methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, 2-methoxyethanol or 1,2-dimethoxyethane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The fuel cell according to claim 2 or 3, wherein 10-90% by volume of the reducing agent is added to the aqueous solution on the basis of the aqueous solution.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The fuel cell according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the hydrophillic polymer compound is polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylmethyl ether, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polymethyl methacrylate, alkylarylpolyether alcohol, gelatin or gum arabic.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The fuel cell according to claims 2, 3 or 14, wherein the hydrophillic polymer compound is contained in the aqueous solution in a ratio of the hydrophillic polymer compound to the nobel metal of 0.1-50 by weight.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fuel cell according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the carrier powder supporting the primary particles of noble metal is heated.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the noble metal is one of noble metals belonging to Group VIII of the periodic table, or a mixture thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fuel cell according to claim 17, wherein the noble metal is at least one of Pt, Pd, Rb, Ru and Ir.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The fuel cell according to claim 17, wherein the noble metal is platinum.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the carrier powder is carbonaceous powder.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fuel cell according to claim 20, wherein the carbonaceous powder is at least one of graphite, carbon black and activated carbon.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the colonies each consist of less than 10 primary particles of noble metal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell is a phosphoric acid fuel cell.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell is a methanol fuel cell.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
118 words
A fuel cell which comprises at least one gas diffusion electrode, said gas diffusion electrode comprising an electron-conductive, gas-permeable substrate and an electrode catalyst uniformly distributed on the substrate, the electrode catalyst comprising colonies each consisting of not more than about 20 primary particles of noble metal, with each particle having a size of 10-30 A, and the colonies being uniformly distributed and deposited on carrier powder; said electrode catalyst being prepared by adding a reducing agent to an aqueous solution containing ions of said noble metal or complex ions of said noble metal, a hydrophillic polymer compound, and the carrier powder, thereby depositing the primary particles of the noble metal onto the carrier powder as said colonies.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
118 words
A fuel cell which comprises at least one gas diffusion electrode, said gas diffusion electrode comprising an electron-conductive, gas-permeable substrate and an electrode catalyst uniformly distributed on the substrate, the electrode catalyst comprising colonies each consisting of not more than about 20 primary particles of noble metal, with each particle having a size of 10-30 A, and the colonies being uniformly distributed and deposited on carrier powder; said electrode catalyst being prepared by adding a reducing agent to an aqueous solution containing ions of said noble metal or complex ions of said noble metal, a hydrophillic polymer compound, and the carrier powder, thereby depositing the primary particles of the noble metal onto the carrier powder as said colonies.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
118 words
A fuel cell which comprises at least one gas diffusion electrode, said gas diffusion electrode comprising an electron-conductive, gas-permeable substrate and an electrode catalyst uniformly distributed on the substrate, the electrode catalyst comprising colonies each consisting of not more than about 20 primary particles of noble metal, with each particle having a size of 10-30 A, and said colonies being uniformly distributed and deposited on carrier powder; said electrode catalyst being prepared by adding a reducing agent and carbon fluoride to an aqueous solution containing ions of the noble metal or complex ions of the noble metal, a hydrophillic polymer compound, and the carrier powder, thereby depositing the primary particles of the noble metal onto the carrier powder.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
118 words
A fuel cell which comprises at least one gas diffusion electrode, said gas diffusion electrode comprising an electron-conductive, gas-permeable substrate and an electrode catalyst uniformly distributed on the substrate, the electrode catalyst comprising colonies each consisting of not more than about 20 primary particles of noble metal, with each particle having a size of 10-30 A, and said colonies being uniformly distributed and deposited on carrier powder; said electrode catalyst being prepared by adding a reducing agent and carbon fluoride to an aqueous solution containing ions of the noble metal or complex ions of the noble metal, a hydrophillic polymer compound, and the carrier powder, thereby depositing the primary particles of the noble metal onto the carrier powder.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
124 words
A fuel cell which comprises at least one gas diffusion electrode, said gas diffusion electrode comprising an electron-conductive, gas-permeable substrate comprised of carbon fibers and an electrode catalyst uniformly distributed on the substrate, the electrode catalyst comprising colonies each consisting of not more than about 20 primary particles of noble metal, with each noble metal particle having a size of 10-30 A, and said colonies being uniformly distributed and deposited on carrier powder comprised of carbonaceous powder and from about 0.1-20% by weight of the noble metal, on the basis of the carrier powder, being deposited from an aqueous solution containing ions of the noble metal or complex ions of the noble metal, a reducing agent, a hydrophillic polymer compound and the carrier powder.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
124 words
A fuel cell which comprises at least one gas diffusion electrode, said gas diffusion electrode comprising an electron-conductive, gas-permeable substrate comprised of carbon fibers and an electrode catalyst uniformly distributed on the substrate, the electrode catalyst comprising colonies each consisting of not more than about 20 primary particles of noble metal, with each noble metal particle having a size of 10-30 A, and said colonies being uniformly distributed and deposited on carrier powder comprised of carbonaceous powder and from about 0.1-20% by weight of the noble metal, on the basis of the carrier powder, being deposited from an aqueous solution containing ions of the noble metal or complex ions of the noble metal, a reducing agent, a hydrophillic polymer compound and the carrier powder.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
34 words
The fuel cell according to claim 27, wherein the aqueous solution additionally contains carbon fluoride in an amount of 10-80% by weight based on the total of the noble metal and the carrier powder.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
The fuel cell according to claim 27, wherein the hydrophillic polymer compound is contained in the aqueous solution in a ratio of the hydrophillic polymer compound to the noble metal of 0.1-50 by weight.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
91 words
A fuel cell which comprises at least one gas diffusion electrode, said gas diffusion electrode comprising an electrode-conductive gas-permeable substrate of carbon paper and an electrode catalyst uniformly distributed on the substrate, the electrode catalyst comprising colonies each consisting of not more than about 20 primary particles of noble metal, with each particle of noble metal having a size of 10-30 A, and the colonies being uniformly distributed and deposited on carrier powder comprising carbonaceous powder; the content of said noble metal being 0.1-20% by weight based on the carrier powder.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
91 words
A fuel cell which comprises at least one gas diffusion electrode, said gas diffusion electrode comprising an electrode-conductive gas-permeable substrate of carbon paper and an electrode catalyst uniformly distributed on the substrate, the electrode catalyst comprising colonies each consisting of not more than about 20 primary particles of noble metal, with each particle of noble metal having a size of 10-30 A, and the colonies being uniformly distributed and deposited on carrier powder comprising carbonaceous powder; the content of said noble metal being 0.1-20% by weight based on the carrier powder.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fuel cell according to claim 30 wherein the carbonaceous powder is at least one of graphite, carbon black and activated carbon.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fuel cell according to claim 31, wherein the noble metal is at least one of Pt, Pd, Rb, Ru and Ir.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-10-03 | 1987-04-04 | 1987-10-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-10-03 | 1991-04-04 | 1991-10-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-10-03 | 1995-04-04 | 1995-10-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |