US 7,320,839 B2 | ||
Polymer electrolyte fuel cell and conductive separator for the same | ||
Yoichiro Tsuji, Osaka (Japan); Yoshihiro Hori, Nara (Japan); Masaki Yamauchi, Osaka (Japan); and Makoto Uchida, Osaka (Japan) | ||
Assigned to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka (Japan) | ||
Filed on Apr. 14, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/823,796. | ||
Claims priority of application No. 2003-108881 (JP), filed on Apr. 14, 2003. | ||
Prior Publication US 2004/0258974 A1, Dec. 23, 2004 | ||
Int. Cl. H01M 2/00 (2006.01); H01M 2/08 (2006.01) |
U.S. Cl. 429—34 [429/35] | 12 Claims |
3. A method of manufacturing a fuel cell, the method comprising:
sandwiching a pair of electrodes, each composed of a catalyst layer and gas diffusion layer, with a polymer electrolyte membrane,
and
sandwiching a pair of separators on either electrode by applying lower pressure at the edges of the gas diffusion layer and
higher pressure at the center of the gas diffusion layer,
wherein at least one of the separators has a groove over an edge of at least one of the pair of electrodes, the depth of the
groove is about 80% to about 120% of the compressed thickness difference of the electrode or a layer thereof or a layer thereon
in contact with the separator, and the compressed thickness difference is defined under the pressure of 1 MPa.
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