Ionic layer with oxygen evolution reaction catalyst for electrode protection

1. A fuel cell comprising:

a first bipolar plate having one or more channels for introducing a first gas to the fuel cell;

a second bipolar plate having one or more channels for introducing a second gas to the fuel cell;

a first gas diffusion layer adjacent to the first bipolar plate;

a second gas diffusion layer adjacent to the second bipolar plate;

an anode layer adjacent to the first gas diffusion layer, the anode layer including a first catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, platinum-containing compounds, and mixtures thereof;

a cathode layer adjacent to the second gas diffusion layer, the cathode layer including a second catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, platinum-containing compounds, and mixtures thereof;

an ion conducting polymer membrane positioned between anode layer and the cathode layer; and

a first oxygen evolution catalyst-containing layer positioned between the anode layer and the ion conducting polymer membrane, the first oxygen evolution catalyst-containing layer comprising a first oxygen evolution catalyst, a first ion conducting polymer and carbon, wherein a weight ratio of the first ion conducting polymer to carbon is from about 10:1 to about 100:1, the first oxygen evolution catalyst-containing layer being substantially free of precious metal compounds other than iridium and including an iridium-containing compound; and

a second oxygen evolution catalyst-containing layer, optionally including iridium or iridium containing compounds, positioned between the ion conducting polymer membrane and the cathode layer, the second oxygen evolution catalyst-containing layer being substantially free of precious metals other than iridium and comprising a second oxygen evolution catalyst, a second ion conducting polymer and carbon.

2. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the iridium-containing compound is described by the following formula:

Ir x O y ,

wherein:

x is from about 0.8 to about 1.2, and

y is from about 1.8 to about 2.4.

3. The fuel cell of claim 2 wherein the iridium-containing compound is described by formula Ir x O y , wherein x is about 1.0, and wherein y is about 2.0.

4. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein oxygen evolution catalyst loading is in a range of about 0.0005 mg/cm 2 to about 0.005 mg/cm 2 .

5. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of the first ion conducting polymer to carbon of about 55:1.

6. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the first ion conducting polymer and the second ion conducting polymer are selected from a group consisting of Nafion ionomer, sulfonated polytrifluorostyrene, sulfonated hydrocarbon polymer, polyimide, polyvinylidene fluoride, polybenzimidazole, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyetherketone, polyphenylenesulfide, polyphenyleneoxide, polyphosphazene, polyethylenenaphthalate, polyamide, and polyester.

7. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the ion conducting polymer membrane comprises a component selected from a group consisting of Nafion ionomer, sulfonated polytrifluorostyrene, sulfonated hydrocarbon polymer, polyimide, polyvinylidene fluoride, polybenzimidazole, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyetherketone, polyphenylenesulfide, polyphenyleneoxide, polyphosphazene, polyethylenenaphthalate, polyamide, and polyester.

8. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the first catalyst is selected from the group consisting of precious metals, alloys of precious metals and mixtures of precious metals.

9. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the first catalyst is selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, platinum-containing compounds, ruthenium-containing compounds and mixtures thereof.

10. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the second catalyst is selected from the group consisting of precious metals, alloys of precious metals and mixtures of precious metals.

11. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the second catalyst is selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, platinum-containing compounds, ruthenium-containing compounds and mixtures thereof.

12. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the second oxygen evolution catalyst comprises a component selected from the group consisting of RuO z and RuO z —TiO 2 where z is a number from 1.5 to 2.5.

13. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the second oxygen evolution catalyst comprises a component selected from the group consisting of ruthenium oxides, ruthenium oxide-titanium oxide, indium oxides, and combinations thereof.