US2009035631A1PendingUtilityA1

Electrochemical cell support structure

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Assignee: PROTON ENERGY SYS INCPriority: Sep 27, 2000Filed: Oct 10, 2008Published: Feb 5, 2009
Est. expirySep 27, 2020(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:John ZagajaDave ChristensenDurwood M. BeringerTushar GhuwalewalaChris CapuanoTony HurtadoThomas Skoczylas
C25B 9/19H01M 8/248H01M 8/1007H01M 8/0232C25B 9/65H01M 2008/1095H01M 8/0245C25B 13/00H01M 4/861H01M 8/0243H01M 4/92H01M 8/04082H01M 8/0234H01M 8/0239Y02E60/50
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Claims

Abstract

An electrochemical cell can comprise: a first electrode and a second electrode with a membrane disposed therebetween and in ionic communication with the first electrode and the second electrode and a sintered porous support member disposed on a side of the membrane opposite the second electrode, wherein the support member comprises a first portion on first side of the support member proximate the membrane and a second portion disposed on a side of the first portion opposite the membrane, wherein the second portion has a second portion porosity different from a first portion porosity.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An electrochemical cell, comprising:
 a first electrode and a second electrode with a membrane disposed therebetween and in ionic communication with the first electrode and the second electrode; and   a sintered porous support member disposed on a side of, and in fluid communication with, the membrane opposite the second electrode, wherein the support member comprises a first portion on first side of the support member proximate the membrane and a second portion disposed on a side of the first portion opposite the membrane and adjacent to said first portion, wherein the second portion has a second portion porosity different from a first portion porosity.   
     
     
         2 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion porosity is greater than the first portion porosity. 
     
     
         3 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 2 , wherein the first portion porosity is less than or equal to about 60%. 
     
     
         4 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3 , wherein the first portion porosity is about 35% to about 50%. 
     
     
         5 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 2 , wherein the second portion porosity is greater than or equal to about 50%. 
     
     
         6 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 5 , wherein the second portion porosity is about 50% to about 70%. 
     
     
         7 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the support member comprises a third portion disposed on a side of the second portion opposite the first portion, wherein the third portion has a third portion porosity that is less than or equal to the second portion porosity. 
     
     
         8 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the support member comprises a plurality of layers, wherein each layer has a layer porosity of greater than or equal to a previous layer. 
     
     
         9 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is a single layer comprising a decreasing porosity gradient from the first side toward a second side disposed opposite the first side. 
     
     
         10 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the support member further comprises a second side comprising a channel. 
     
     
         11 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 10 , wherein the channel extends from an inlet disposed proximate an edge of the side to a terminus disposed proximate a geometric center of the side. 
     
     
         12 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 10 , wherein the channel extends from an inlet disposed proximate an edge of the side to an outlet disposed proximate the same or a different edge of the side. 
     
     
         13 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion comprises higher porosity regions and lower porosity regions. 
     
     
         14 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure pad disposed in physical and electrical communication with the support member. 
     
     
         15 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional sintered porous support member disposed on a side of the membrane opposite the support member. 
     
     
         16 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 15 , wherein the additional support member comprises the second electrode. 
     
     
         17 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 15 , wherein the additional support member further comprises a first additional portion on first side of the additional support member proximate the membrane and a second additional portion disposed on a side of the first additional portion opposite the membrane, wherein the second additional portion has a second additional portion porosity different from a first additional portion porosity. 
     
     
         18 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the second additional portion porosity is greater than the first additional portion porosity. 
     
     
         19 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the support member further comprises the first electrode. 
     
     
         20 . An electrochemical cell, comprising:
 a first electrode and a second electrode with a membrane disposed therebetween and in ionic communication with the first electrode and the second electrode;   a flow field consisting essentially of a sintered porous support member disposed in electrical and physical communication with the first electrode, wherein the support member further comprises a first portion adjacent the membrane and a second portion on a side of the first portion opposite the membrane, and wherein the second portion has a second portion porosity different from a first portion porosity; and   a pressure assembly disposed in physical and electrical communication with the flow field.   
     
     
         21 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 20 , wherein the second portion porosity is greater than the first portion porosity. 
     
     
         22 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 20 , wherein the support member further comprises the first electrode. 
     
     
         23 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 20 , wherein the support member is configured to support the membrane at pressures of greater than or equal to about 100 psi. 
     
     
         24 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 23 , wherein the pressures are greater than or equal to 500 psi. 
     
     
         25 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 20 , wherein the porous support member comprises a channel. 
     
     
         26 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 20 , wherein the pressure pad assembly is a pressure pad. 
     
     
         27 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein a channel is disposed between the first portion and the second portion. 
     
     
         28 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion is a first layer and the second portion is a second layer. 
     
     
         29 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 20 , wherein the first portion is a first layer and the second portion is a second layer.

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