Membrane-electrode assembly and manufacturing method therefor

1 . A membrane-electrode assembly comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode; and

an electrolyte membrane between the first and second electrodes, wherein

the first electrode comprises first and second electrode modules separable from each other

the electrolyte membrane comprises first and second membrane modules separable from each other,

the second electrode comprises third and fourth electrode modules separable from each other,

the membrane-electrode assembly comprises first and second assembly modules separable from each other,

the first assembly module comprises the first electrode module, the third electrode module, and the first membrane module between the first and third electrode modules,

the second assembly module comprises the second electrode module, the fourth electrode module, and the second membrane module between the second and fourth electrode modules,

the first membrane module has a first active region in contact with the first and third electrode modules and a first non-active region surrounding the first active region,

the second membrane module has a second active region in contact with the second and fourth electrode modules and a second non-active region surrounding the second active region,

the first assembly module further comprises,

first and third sub-gasket modules disposed in the first non-active region of the first membrane module, the first and third sub-gasket modules surrounding the first and third electrode modules, respectively;

a first gas diffusion module covering the first electrode module, the first electrode module being disposed between the first membrane module and the first gas diffusion module; and

a third gas diffusion module covering the third electrode module, the third electrode module being disposed between the first membrane module and the third gas diffusion module,

the second assembly module further comprises:

second and fourth sub-gasket modules disposed in the second non-active region of the second membrane module, the second and fourth sub-gasket modules surrounding the second and fourth electrode modules, respectively,

a second gas diffusion module covering the second electrode module, the second electrode module being disposed between the second membrane module and the second gas diffusion module; and

a fourth gas diffusion module covering the fourth electrode module, the fourth electrode module being disposed between the second membrane module and the fourth gas diffusion module, and

the membrane-electrode assembly further comprises:

a first elastic gasket having first and second windows configured respectively to allow the first gas diffusion module and the second gas diffusion module to be exposed therethrough, the first elastic gasket being in contact with the first and second sub-gasket modules; and

a second elastic gasket having third and fourth windows configured respectively to allow the third gas diffusion module and the fourth gas diffusion module to be exposed therethrough, the second elastic gasket being in contact with the third and fourth sub-gasket modules.

2 . The membrane-electrode assembly according to claim 1 , wherein

the first elastic gasket comprises a first boundary region between the first and second windows, the first boundary region being in contact with both the first and second sub-gasket modules so as to prevent leakage of gas through a gap between the first and second assembly modules,

the second elastic gasket comprises a second boundary region between the third and fourth windows, the second boundary region being in contact with both the third and fourth sub-gasket modules so as to prevent leakage of gas through the gap between the first and second assembly modules,

the first boundary region has a plurality of first grooves configured to allow the first and second windows to fluidly communicate with each other therethrough on a surface thereof opposite a surface that contacts the first and second sub-gasket modules, and

the second boundary region has a plurality of second grooves configured to allow the third and fourth windows to fluidly communicate with each other therethrough on a surface thereof opposite a surface that contacts the third and fourth sub-gasket modules.

3 . The membrane-electrode assembly according to claim 1 , wherein

the first elastic gasket comprises a first boundary region between the first and second windows, the first boundary region being in contact with both the first and second sub-gasket modules so as to prevent leakage of gas through a gap between the first and second assembly modules,

the second elastic gasket comprises a second boundary region between the third and fourth windows, the second boundary region being in contact with both the third and fourth sub-gasket modules so as to prevent leakage of gas through the gap between the first and second assembly modules,

the first boundary region comprises a first nonporous elastic layer in contact with the first and second sub-gasket modules and a first porous elastic layer on the first nonporous elastic layer, and

the second boundary region comprises a second nonporous elastic layer in contact with the third and fourth sub-gasket modules and a second porous elastic layer on the second nonporous elastic layer.

4 . A method of manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly, the method comprising:

forming a first electrode on a first surface of an electrolyte membrane; and

forming a second electrode on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane, the second surface being opposite the first surface, wherein

the first electrode comprises first and second electrode modules separable from each other,

the second electrode comprises third and fourth electrode modules separable from each other,

the electrolyte membrane comprises first and second membrane modules separable from each other, the first membrane module having a first active region in contact with the first and third electrode modules and a first non-active region surrounding the first active region, the second membrane module having a second active region in contact with the second and fourth electrode modules and a second non-active region surrounding the second active region,

the forming the first electrode comprises:

forming the first electrode module on a first surface of the first membrane module; and

forming the second electrode module on a first surface of the second membrane module,

the forming the second electrode comprises:

forming the third electrode module on a second surface of the first membrane module; and

forming the fourth electrode module on a second surface of the second membrane module,

the method further comprises:

forming first and third sub-gasket modules respectively surrounding the first and third electrode modules in the first non-active region of the first membrane module;

forming first and third gas diffusion modules on the first and third electrode modules, respectively, in order to obtain a first assembly module which comprises the first electrode module the third electrode module, the first membrane module between the first and third electrode modules, the first and third sub-gasket modules, and first and third gas diffusion modules;

forming second and fourth sub-gasket modules respectively surrounding the second and fourth electrode modules in the second non-active region of the second membrane module;

forming second and fourth gas diffusion modules on the second and fourth electrode modules, respectively, in order to obtain a second assembly module which comprises the second electrode module, the fourth electrode module, the second membrane module between the second and fourth electrode modules, the second and fourth sub-gasket modules, and the second and fourth gas diffusion modules;

arranging the first and second assembly modules in such a way that the first and second assembly modules are adjacent to each other;

forming a first elastic gasket having first and second windows configured respectively to allow the first and second gas diffusion modules to be exposed therethrough on the first and second sub-gasket modules; and

forming a second elastic gasket having third and fourth windows configured respectively to allow the third and fourth gas diffusion modules to be exposed therethrough on the third and fourth sub-gasket modules.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein

the first elastic gasket comprises a first boundary region between the first and second windows, the first boundary region being in contact with both the first and second sub-gasket modules so as to prevent leakage of gas through a gap between the first and second assembly modules,

the second elastic gasket comprises a second boundary region between the third and fourth windows, the second boundary region being in contact with both the third and fourth sub-gasket modules so as to prevent leakage of gas through the gap between the first and second assembly modules,

the first boundary region has (i) a flow path structure having a plurality of first grooves configured to allow the first and second windows to fluidly communicate with each other therethrough on a surface thereof opposite a surface that contacts the first and second sub-gasket modules or (ii) a double layer structure comprising a first nonporous elastic layer in contact with the first and second sub-gasket modules and a first porous elastic layer on the first nonporous elastic layer, and

the second boundary region has (i) a flow path structure having a plurality of second grooves configured to allow the third and fourth windows to fluidly communicate with each other therethrough on a surface thereof opposite a surface that contacts the third and fourth sub-gasket modules or (ii) a double layer structure comprising a second nonporous elastic layer in contact with the third and fourth sub-gasket modules and a second porous elastic layer on the second nonporous elastic layer.