IP Library Granted Patent US 7,700,220
Granted Patent B2
US 7,700,220 · App. 11/524,527 · Granted Apr 20, 2010

Fuel cell

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,700,220
App. No.
11/524,527
Granted
Apr 20, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fuel cell is provided which can enhance the CO resistance to thereby improve the voltage characteristics thereof. A fuel cell includes an electrolyte layer, a first electrode provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer, and a second electrode provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer. In this fuel cell, a reaction fluid to be supplied to the first electrode contains carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is generated from a reaction fluid having been supplied to the first electrode. The first electrode of the fuel cell includes a first catalyst material (Pt) having a function of extracting an electron from the reaction fluid, a second catalyst material (WAu) having a function of reducing the activation energy for conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, and an oxygen-supplying material (Ru) supplying oxygen.

Claims (98)

1. A fuel cell comprising:

an electrolyte layer;

a first electrode provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer; and

a second electrode provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein

a reaction fluid to be supplied to the first electrode contains carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is generated from a reaction fluid having been supplied to the first electrode, and

the first electrode comprises:

a first catalyst material which has a function of extracting an electron from the reaction fluid;

a second catalyst material which has a function of reducing activation energy for conversion of the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide;

an oxygen-supplying material which supplies oxygen; and

a first region contacting the reaction fluid having a lower carbon monoxide concentration and a second region contacting the reaction fluid having a higher carbon monoxide concentration, and

a concentration of the second catalyst material in the first region is lower than that in the second region.

2. A fuel cell comprising:

an electrolyte layer;

a first electrode provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer; and

a second electrode provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein

a reaction fluid to be supplied to the first electrode contains carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is generated from a reaction fluid having been supplied to the first electrode,

the first electrode comprises:

a first catalyst material which has a function of extracting an electron from the reaction fluid;

a second catalyst material which has a function of reducing activation energy for conversion of the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide;

an oxygen-supplying material which supplies oxygen; and

a first region contacting the reaction fluid having a lower carbon monoxide concentration and a second region contacting the reaction fluid having a higher carbon monoxide concentration,

a concentration of the second catalyst material in the first region is lower than that in the second region, and

the second catalyst material contains gold and a transition metal selected from group 3 to group 11.

3. A fuel cell comprising:

an electrolyte layer;

a first electrode provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer; and

a second electrode provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein

a reaction fluid to be supplied to the first electrode contains carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is generated from a reaction fluid having been supplied to the first electrode,

the first electrode comprises:

a first catalyst material which has a function of extracting an electron from the reaction fluid;

a second catalyst material which has a function of reducing activation energy for conversion of the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide;

an oxygen-supplying material which supplies oxygen; and

a first region contacting the reaction fluid having a lower carbon monoxide concentration and a second region contacting the reaction fluid having a higher carbon monoxide concentration,

a concentration of the second catalyst material in the first region is lower than that in the second region,

the second catalyst material contains gold and a transition metal selected from group 3 to group 11, and

a particle diameter distribution of the gold has a peak within a range of from 1 nm to 5 mn.

4. A fuel cell comprising:

an electrolyte layer;

a first electrode provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer; and

a second electrode provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein

a reaction fluid to be supplied to the first electrode contains carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is generated from a reaction fluid having been supplied to the first electrode,

the first electrode comprises:

a first catalyst material which has a function of extracting an electron from the reaction fluid;

a second catalyst material which has a function of reducing activation energy for conversion of the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide;

an oxygen-supplying material which supplies oxygen; and

a first region contacting the reaction fluid having a lower carbon monoxide concentration and a second region contacting the reaction fluid having a higher carbon monoxide concentration,

a concentration of the second catalyst material in the first region is lower than that in the second region,

the second catalyst material contains gold and a transition metal selected from group 3 to group 11, and

the transition metal has an oxidation-reduction potential within a range in which a standard electrode potential thereof with respect to a standard hydrogen electrode is −0.25 V or more and 0.25 V or less.

5. A fuel cell comprising:

an electrolyte layer;

a first electrode provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer; and

a second electrode provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein

a reaction fluid to be supplied to the first electrode contains carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is generated from a reaction fluid having been supplied to the first electrode, and

the first electrode comprises:

a first catalyst material which has a function of extracting an electron from the reaction fluid;

a second catalyst material which has a function of reducing activation energy for conversion of the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide;

an oxygen-supplying material which supplies oxygen; and

a first region contacting the reaction fluid having a lower carbon monoxide concentration and a second region contacting the reaction fluid having a higher carbon monoxide concentration, and

a concentration of the oxygen-supplying material in the first region is lower than that in the second region.

6. A fuel cell comprising:

an electrolyte layer;

a first electrode provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer; and

a second electrode provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein

a reaction fluid to be supplied to the first electrode contains carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is generated from a reaction fluid having been supplied to the first electrode,

the first electrode comprises:

a first catalyst material which has a function of extracting an electron from the reaction fluid;

a second catalyst material which has a function of reducing activation energy for conversion of the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide;

an oxygen-supplying material which supplies oxygen; and

a first region contacting the reaction fluid having a lower carbon monoxide concentration and a second region contacting the reaction fluid having a higher carbon monoxide concentration,

a concentration of the oxygen-supplying material in the first region is lower than that in the second region, and

the second catalyst material contains gold and a transition metal selected from group 3 to group 11.

7. A fuel cell comprising:

an electrolyte layer;

a first electrode provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer; and

a second electrode provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein

a reaction fluid to be supplied to the first electrode contains carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is generated from a reaction fluid having been supplied to the first electrode,

the first electrode comprises:

a first catalyst material which has a function of extracting an electron from the reaction fluid;

a second catalyst material which has a function of reducing activation energy for conversion of the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide;

an oxygen-supplying material which supplies oxygen; and

a first region contacting the reaction fluid having a lower carbon monoxide concentration and a second region contacting the reaction fluid having a higher carbon monoxide concentration,

a concentration of the oxygen-supplying material in the first region is lower than that in the second region,

the second catalyst material contains gold and a transition metal selected from group 3 to group 11, and

a particle diameter distribution of the gold has a peak within a range of from 1 nm to 5 mn.

8. A fuel cell comprising:

an electrolyte layer;

a first electrode provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer; and

a second electrode provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein

a reaction fluid to be supplied to the first electrode contains carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is generated from a reaction fluid having been supplied to the first electrode,

the first electrode comprises:

a first catalyst material which has a function of extracting an electron from the reaction fluid;

a second catalyst material which has a function of reducing activation energy for conversion of the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide;

an oxygen-supplying material which supplies oxygen; and

a first region contacting the reaction fluid having a lower carbon monoxide concentration and a second region contacting the reaction fluid having a higher carbon monoxide concentration,

a concentration of the oxygen-supplying material in the first region is lower than that in the second region,

the second catalyst material contains gold and a transition metal selected from group 3 to group 11, and

the transition metal has an oxidation-reduction potential within a range in which a standard electrode potential thereof with respect to a standard hydrogen electrode is −0.25 V or more and 0.25 V or less.

Assignments (4)
CONFIRMATORY TRANSFER OF LICENSED RIGHTS Recorded Aug 29, 2013
From: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: JX NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORP.
Reel/Frame 031237/0006 →
TRANSFER BACK OF LICENSED RIGHTS Recorded Aug 28, 2013
From: OKADA, SHIGEYOSHI
To: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 031236/0770 →
LICENSE Recorded Nov 8, 2011
From: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: ENEOS CELLTECH CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027190/0840 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2006
From: MATSUOKA, KOJI; IKOMA, YOSHIHIRO
To: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 018686/0565 →