Method for making polymer bonded electrodes

Claim 1

A method for the preparation of a polymer bonded electrode of a perfluorocarbon copolymer having an equivalent weight in excess of at least about 900, and not greater than about 1500, and a metallic substance in particulate form comprising the steps of: finely dividing the copolymer to a particulate state having particles of an average particle dimension of not greater than 100 microns; admixing the finely divided copolymer with a solvent for the copolymer in both a quantity and at a temperature whereby the copolymer particles are swelled but remain substantially unsolvated in the solvent, and with the particulate metallic substance in a ratio of not less than about a 1:20 ratio of copolymer and metallic substance on a solventless weight basis to form a blended dispersion; depositing the blended dispersion upon a substrate; removing the solvent and using at least one of heat and vacuum; and fusing the resulting polymer bonded electrode using at least one of heat in excess of 100° C. and pressure in excess of 100 pounds per square inch.

Claim 2

A method for the preparation of a polymer bonded electrode of a perfluorocarbon copolymer having an equivalent weight in excess of at least about 900, and not greater than about 1500, and a metallic substance in particulate form comprising the steps of: finely dividing the copolymer to a particulate state having particles of an average particle dimension of not greater than 100 microns; admixing the finely divided copolymer with a solvent for the copolymer in both a quantity and at a temperature whereby the copolymer particles are swelled but remain substantially unsolvated in the solvent, and with the particulate metallic substance in a ratio of not less than about a 1:20 ratio of copolymer and metallic substance on a solventless weight basis to form a blended dispersion; depositing the blended dispersion upon a substrate; removing the solvent and using at least one of heat and vacuum; and fusing the resulting polymer bonded electrode using at least one of heat in excess of 100° C. and pressure in excess of 100 pounds per square inch.

Claim 6

A method for the preparation of a polymer bonded electrode of a perfluorocarbon copolymer having pendant cation exchange functional groups selected from a group consisting of sulfonyl and carbonyl based groups and being in an equivalent weight range of in excess of at least about 900, and not greater than about 1500, and a metallic substance in finely divided particulate form comprising the steps of: finely dividing the copolymer to a particulate state having particles of an average particle dimension of not greater than about 50 microns; admixing the finely divided copolymer with both a solvent for the copolymer in a quantity and at a temperature whereby the copolymer particles are swelled but remain substantially unsolvated in the solvent and with the particulate metallic substances in not less than about a 1:20 ratio of copolymer and metallic substance on a solventless weight basis to form a blended dispersion; depositing the blended dispersion upon a substrate; removing the solvent using at least one of heat in excess of about 100° C. but not greater than about 300° C., and vacuum; and fusing the resulting polymer bonded electrode using at least one of heat in excess of 100° C. but not greater than about 300° C. and pressure in excess of 100 pounds per square inch.

Claim 7

A method for the preparation of a polymer bonded electrode of a perfluorocarbon copolymer having pendant cation exchange functional groups selected from a group consisting of sulfonyl and carbonyl based groups and being in an equivalent weight range of in excess of at least about 900, and not greater than about 1500, and a metallic substance in finely divided particulate form comprising the steps of: finely dividing the copolymer to a particulate state having particles of an average particle dimension of not greater than about 50 microns; admixing the finely divided copolymer with both a solvent for the copolymer in a quantity and at a temperature whereby the copolymer particles are swelled but remain substantially unsolvated in the solvent and with the particulate metallic substances in not less than about a 1:20 ratio of copolymer and metallic substance on a solventless weight basis to form a blended dispersion; depositing the blended dispersion upon a substrate; removing the solvent using at least one of heat in excess of about 100° C. but not greater than about 300° C., and vacuum; and fusing the resulting polymer bonded electrode using at least one of heat in excess of 100° C. but not greater than about 300° C. and pressure in excess of 100 pounds per square inch.