Catalyst-coated membrane and method of manufacture

1 . A method of manufacturing a catalyst-coated ion-conducting membrane for an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:

providing an ion-conducting membrane, an electrocatalyst layer, and a masking layer between the ion-conducting membrane and the electrocatalyst layer, wherein the masking layer comprises one or more aperture(s) to provide one or more exposed region(s) and one or more non-exposed region(s) of the electrocatalyst layer; and

contacting the layers such that the one or more exposed region(s) of the electrocatalyst layer are transferred onto the ion-conducting membrane and the masking layer prevents the one or more non-exposed region(s) of the electrocatalyst layer from being transferred onto the ion-conducting membrane;

wherein the electrocatalyst layer and the masking layer are provided together as a pre-formed masked electrocatalyst component, with the masking layer bonded to the electrocatalyst layer.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising an initial step of providing a masking layer without apertures and a step of cutting the aperture(s) into the masking layer, prior to the step of providing the masking layer between the ion-conducting membrane and the electrocatalyst layer.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting the layers includes pressing the layers together.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the layers are pressed together between a pair of rollers in a roll-to-roll lamination process.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the layers are pressed together by a flatbed press.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the rollers heat the layers to a temperature in the range of and including 100 to 200° C.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of removing the masking layer and non-exposed region(s) of the electrocatalyst layer from the ion-conducting membrane after the step of contacting the layers.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the non-exposed region(s) of the electrocatalyst layer is/are recovered and recycled for further use.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an electrocatalyst layer is provided on either side of the ion-conducting membrane and a masking layer is provided between the ion-conducting membrane and each respective electrocatalyst layer.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ion-conducting membrane is sandwiched between two layers of non-ion-conducting seal material such that it is a membrane-seal assembly, the membrane-seal assembly comprising one or more inner region(s) and one or more border region(s), the inner region(s) being devoid of non-ion-conducting seal material and being ion-conducting and the border region(s) comprising the non-ion-conducting seal material and being non-ion conducting.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ion-conducting membrane comprises a polymer electrolyte membrane.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of applying sub-gaskets around an active area of the catalyst-coated ion-conducting membrane.

13 . A method of producing a masked electrocatalyst component for use in manufacturing a catalyst-coated ion-conducting membrane, the method comprising:

providing an electrocatalyst layer;

providing a masking component comprising a masking layer, the masking layer comprising one or more aperture(s); and

combining the masking layer with the electrocatalyst layer to form a masked electrocatalyst component

further comprising a step of cutting alignment features into the masked electrocatalyst component, for assisting with aligning the masked electrocatalyst component during a process of manufacturing a catalyst-coated ion-conducting membrane.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of combining the masking layer with the electrocatalyst layer to form a masked electrocatalyst component is a step of bonding the masking layer to the electrocatalyst layer to form a masked electrocatalyst component.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of bonding the masking layer to the electrocatalyst layer is performed by a roll-to-roll lamination process, wherein the layers are pressed together between a pair of rollers.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the masking layer is bonded to the electrocatalyst layer by an adhesive.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the masking component further comprises a reinforcement layer for stabilising the masking layer during the step of combining the masking layer with the electrocatalyst layer.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the reinforcement layer comprises a reinforcing polymer film.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the reinforcement layer is bonded to the masking layer by an adhesive.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising a step of removing the reinforcement layer after the step of bonding the masking layer to the electrocatalyst layer.

21 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the electrocatalyst layer and the masking component are each provided in the form of continuous webs, with the masking layer comprising a plurality of apertures along a length of the web.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the masked electrocatalyst component is produced in the form of a continuous web, further comprising a step of cutting the masked electrocatalyst component into discrete patches.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the masked electrocatalyst component is cut between apertures of the masking layer, such that the masking layer in each patch comprises a single aperture.

24 . A masked electrocatalyst component for use in manufacturing an electrochemical cell, the masked electrocatalyst component comprising:

an electrocatalyst layer having a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface;

a masking layer disposed on the first surface of the electrocatalyst layer,

wherein the masking layer comprises one or more aperture(s), thereby providing one or more exposed region(s) and one or more non-exposed region(s) of the first surface of the electrocatalyst layer,

wherein the masking layer is bonded to the electrocatalyst layer by an adhesive.

25 . The masked electrocatalyst component of claim 24 , wherein the masked electrocatalyst component is in roll-good form, with the electrocatalyst layer and the masking layer each being a continuous web, the masking layer comprising a plurality of apertures along a length of the web.

26 . The masked electrocatalyst component of claim 24 , wherein the masked electrocatalyst component is in the form of a discrete patch.

27 . The masked electrocatalyst component of claim 26 , wherein the masking layer comprises a single aperture.

28 . The masked electrocatalyst component of claim 24 , further comprising a carrier layer disposed on the second surface of the electrocatalyst layer.

29 . The masked electrocatalyst component of claim 24 , wherein the electrocatalyst layer comprises a platinum group metal or an alloy of a platinum group metal.

30 . The masked electrocatalyst component of claim 24 , wherein the masking layer comprises a polymer film.

31 . The masked electrocatalyst component of claim 30 , wherein the polymer film comprises a polymer which is thermally stable at temperatures in the range of and including 100 to 200° C.

32 . The masked electrocatalyst component of claim 30 , wherein the polymer film comprises polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylenimine (PEI), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyimide (PI), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or mixtures thereof.

33 . The masked electrocatalyst component of claim 24 , wherein the adhesive is thermally stable at temperatures in the range of and including 100 to 200° C.

34 . The masked electrocatalyst component of claim 24 , wherein the adhesive comprises a silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive.