IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,973,250
Granted Patent B2
US 11,973,250 · App. 17/407,610 · Granted Apr 30, 2024

Antioxidant for fuel cells to improve durability

Inventors: Liang Wang (Saline, MI); Hongfei Jia (Ann Arbor, MI); Naoki Nakamura (Nagaizumi-cho, JP)
Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.; Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
H01M8/1004H01M4/8605H01M4/8657H01M4/8807H01M4/9033H01M4/921H01M50/497
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,973,250
App. No.
17/407,610
Granted
Apr 30, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are membrane-electrode assemblies and fuel cells comprising an anode comprising a first catalyst; a cathode comprising a second catalyst; and a proton exchange membrane between the anode and cathode; wherein at least one of the proton exchange membrane, anode, and cathode comprise an antioxidant comprising yttrium doped cerium oxide and a metal doped cerium oxide that has a faster release time of cerium ions compared to yttrium doped cerium oxide.

Claims (32)

1. A membrane-electrode assembly comprising:

an anode comprising a first catalyst;

a cathode comprising a second catalyst; and

a proton exchange membrane between the anode and cathode;

wherein at least one of the proton exchange membrane, anode, and cathode comprise an antioxidant comprising yttrium doped cerium oxide and a metal doped cerium oxide that has a faster release time of cerium ions compared to yttrium doped cerium oxide.

2. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the metal doped cerium oxide is aluminum doped cerium oxide.

3. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proton exchange membrane comprises a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer.

4. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein an amount of yttrium in the yttrium doped cerium oxide is about 1 to about 50 mol %.

5. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 2 , wherein an amount of aluminum in the aluminum doped cerium oxide is about 1 to about 50 mol %.

6. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein about 50 μg/cm 2 to about 1000 μg/cm 2 of antioxidant is utilized.

7. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 2 , wherein an amount of aluminum doped cerium oxide is about 1 to about 50 mol % of yttrium doped cerium oxide.

8. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first catalyst and second catalyst are independently platinum or a platinum alloy.

9. A fuel cell comprising:

a membrane-electrode assembly comprising a proton exchange membrane, an anode comprising a first catalyst, and a cathode comprising a second catalyst, the proton exchange membrane positioned between the anode and cathode;

a first microporous layer contacting the anode;

a second microporous layer contacting the cathode;

an anode diffusion layer contacting the first microporous layer;

a cathode diffusion layer contacting the second microporous layer;

a first flow channel contacting the anode diffusion layer; and

a second flow channel connecting the cathode diffusion layer;

wherein at least one of the proton exchange membrane, anode, cathode, first microporous layer and the second microporous layer comprise an antioxidant comprising yttrium doped cerium oxide and a metal doped cerium oxide that has a faster release time of cerium ions compared to yttrium doped cerium oxide.

10. The fuel cell of claim 9 , wherein the metal doped cerium oxide is aluminum doped cerium oxide.

11. The fuel cell of claim 9 , wherein the proton exchange membrane comprises a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer.

12. The fuel cell of claim 9 , wherein an amount of yttrium in the yttrium doped cerium oxide is about 1 to about 50 mol %.

13. The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein an amount of aluminum in the aluminum doped cerium oxide is about 1 to about 50 mol %.

14. The fuel cell of claim 9 , wherein about 50 μg/cm 2 to about 1000 μg/cm 2 of antioxidant is utilized.

15. The fuel cell of claim 12 , wherein an amount of aluminum doped cerium oxide is about 1 to about 50 mol % of the amount of yttrium doped cerium oxide.

16. The fuel cell of claim 9 , wherein the first catalyst and second catalyst are independently platinum or a platinum alloy.

17. The fuel cell of claim 9 , wherein one or both of the anode diffusion layer and the cathode diffusion layer comprise carbon paper.

18. The fuel cell of claim 9 , wherein the proton exchange membrane comprises the antioxidant.

19. The fuel cell of claim 9 , wherein the proton exchange membrane comprises about 100 ppm to about 100,000 ppm of antioxidant.

20. A vehicle comprising a fuel cell of claim 9 .

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 067884/0078 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2022
From: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC
To: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 060908/0743 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2021
From: WANG, LIANG; JIA, HONGFEI; NAKAMURA, NAOKI
To: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 057240/0499 →
Continuity (1)
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