Method for producing an anion-exchange membrane for a solid polymer electrolyte type fuel cell
An anion-exchange membrane having quaternary ammonium groups or quaternary phosphonium groups wherein halogen ions serve as the counter ions is obtained. Rather than being subjected to ion exchange with an OH-type membrane using a toxic substance such as sodium hydroxide, the halogen-type anion exchange membrane is brought into contact with a carbonate solution and/or bicarbonate solution to directly obtain an anion exchange membrane where at least some of the counterions of the quaternary ammonium groups or quaternary phosphonium groups are CO 3 2− and/or HCO 3 − .
1. A method for producing an anion-exchange membrane-catalyst electrode membrane assembly for a solid polymer electrolyte type fuel cell, comprising:
producing an anion-exchange membrane including a quaternary ammonium group or quaternary phosphonium group haying a halogen ion as its counterion;
bringing the anion-exchange membrane into contact with carbonate solution and/or bicarbonate solution;
ion-exchanging the halogen ion to obtain an anion-exchange membrane in which at least a part of counterions of said quaternary ammonium group or quaternary phosphonium group is CO 3 2− and/or HCO 3 − ; and
forming a fuel chamber side catalyst electrode layer on a first surface and an oxidizing agent chamber side catalyst electrode layer on a second surface of the anion-exchange membrane.
2. The method for producing an anion-exchange membrane for a solid polymer electrolyte type fuel cell as set forth in claim 1 ,
wherein a method for producing the anion-exchange membrane comprises reacting a raw membrane having a halogenoalkyl group for forming an anion-exchange membrane with an agent having a tertiary amino group for forming quaternary ammonium or an agent having a tertiary phosphine group for forming quaternary phosphonium.
3. The method for producing an anion-exchange membrane for a solid polymer electrolyte type fuel cell as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a method for producing the anion-exchange membrane comprises reacting a raw membrane having an amino group or phosphine group for forming an anion-exchange membrane with an alkylating agent having a halogenoalkyl group.
4. The method for producing an anion-exchange membrane for a solid polymer electrolyte type fuel cell as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a method for producing the anion-exchange membrane comprises polymerizing a polymerizable composition comprising a polymerizable monomer including a quaternary ammonium group or quaternary phosphonium group having a halogen ion as its counterion.
5. The method for producing an anion-exchange membrane for a solid polymer electrolyte type fuel cell as set forth in claim 1 , wherein bicarbonate solution is used as said carbonate solution and/or bicarbonate solution.
6. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the halogen ion comprises iodine.
7. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the halogen ion comprises bromine.
8. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the anion-exchange membrane has an anion-exchange capacity of 0.1 to 5.0 mmol/g.
9. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the anion-exchange membrane has a thickness of 5 to 150 μm.
10. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the carbonate solution and/or bicarbonate solution comprises potassium carbonate or potassium bicarbonate.
11. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the carbonate solution and/or bicarbonate solution comprises ammonium bicarbonate.
12. A method for producing an anion-exchange membrane-catalyst electrode membrane assembly for a solid polymer electrolyte type fuel cell, comprising:
producing an anion-exchange membrane including a quaternary phosphonium group having halogen ion as its counterion; and
bringing the anion-exchange membrane into contact with carbonate solution and/or bicarbonate solution to obtain an anion-exchange membrane in which at least a part of counterions of said quaternary phosphonium group is CO 3 2− and/or HCO 3 − .
13. A method as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the halogen ion comprises chlorine.