Manufacturing method of membrane electrode assembly
The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a membrane electrode assembly which makes it possible to produce a polymer electrolyte fuel cell at a high level of productivity. According to the present invention, it is possible to make differences in characteristics between a first catalyst electrode 11 A and a second catalyst electrode 11 B, which are formed on the both surfaces of a polymer electrolyte membrane 3 , without changing materials of the first and the second catalyst electrode 11 A and 11 B. In the present invention, the first and the second catalyst electrode 11 A and 11 B are adhered to the polymer electrolyte membrane 3 by sticking the first catalyst electrode 11 A by a first roll press 7 followed by sticking the second catalyst electrode 11 B by a second roll press 8.
1. A method of manufacturing MEA by transferring a first catalyst electrode formed on a surface of a first support medium to one surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane and a second catalyst electrode formed on a surface of a second support medium to the opposite surface of said polymer electrolyte membrane, the method comprising:
arranging a pattern of said first catalyst electrode formed on said surface of said first support medium and said polymer electrolyte membrane formed on a surface of a transport film substrate in such a way that said polymer electrolyte membrane faces and contacts said pattern of said first catalyst electrode;
applying a first pressure with a first roll press, which has been heated to a first temperature, to said first support medium, on which said pattern of said first catalyst electrode is formed on said surface, and said transport film substrate, on which said polymer electrolyte membrane is formed on said surface, in their thickness direction so that said pattern of said first catalyst electrode sticks to said one surface of said polymer electrolyte membrane;
removing said transport film substrate from said polymer electrolyte membrane by a peeling roll;
arranging a pattern of said second catalyst electrode formed on said surface of said second support medium to face said opposite surface of said polymer electrolyte membrane from said one surface to which said pattern of said first catalyst electrode has stuck; and
applying a second pressure with a second roll press, which has been heated to a second temperature, to said second support medium, on which said pattern of said second catalyst electrode is formed on said surface, and said polymer electrolyte membrane in their thickness direction so as to transfer said pattern of said second catalyst electrode to said opposite surface of said polymer electrolyte membrane, wherein
said first catalyst electrode is an anode catalyst electrode and said second catalyst electrode is a cathode catalyst electrode, and wherein
a condition that said first pressure is higher than said second pressure is satisfied; and
said first catalyst electrode receives both presses applied by the first roll press and the second roll press whereas the second catalyst electrode receives only a press applied by the second roll press such that the entire first catalyst electrode forms a water retention structure from being processed through the first roll press and the second roll press and the second catalyst electrode forms a porous structure having drainage properties from being processed through only the second roll press.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
each of said first roll press and said second roll press has two rollers respectively,
said first support medium, together with said polymer electrolyte membrane and in contact with said one surface thereof, is arranged between two rollers of said first roll press when applying said first pressure with said first roll press, and
said second support medium, together with said polymer electrolyte membrane and in contact with said opposite surface thereof, is arranged between two rollers of said second roll press when applying said second pressure with said second roll press.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
said first support medium and said pattern of said first catalyst electrode, together with said polymer electrolyte membrane, said pattern of said second catalyst electrode and said second support medium, are collectively and simultaneously pressed when applying said second pressure with said second roll press to said second support medium and said polymer electrolyte membrane.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the process of applying said first pressure with said first roll press to said first support medium and said polymer electrolyte membrane and the process of applying said second pressure with said second roll press to said second support medium and said polymer electrolyte membrane are performed in a same transport line.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
a roll material of said first roll press is not the same as a roll material of said second roll press.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
said transport film substrate is removed from said polymer electrolyte membrane to a different direction from a transport line by said peeling roll and then said transport film substrate is wound on.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein
said second support medium is placed at a midstream site in the transport line and wound off after said transport film substrate is wound on and before arranging said pattern of said second catalyst electrode formed on said surface of said second support medium to face the opposite surface of said polymer electrolyte membrane from the surface to which said pattern of said first catalyst electrode has stuck.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
said first pressure and said second pressure are in the range of 1.5-3.5 MPa, and said first temperature and said second temperature are in the range of 100-140° C.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
roll materials of said first roll press and said second roll press are a rubber with a shore hardness of A70.