Fuel cell

Abstract

According to one embodiment, fuel cell includes an anode, into which an aqueous methanol solution is introduced as fuel, includes a current collector and a catalyst layer formed on the current collector, a cathode, into which an oxidizing agent is introduced, includes a current collector and a catalyst layer formed on the current collector, and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the catalyst layer of the anode and the catalyst layer of the cathode. The catalyst layer of at least one of the anode and the cathode contains carbon particles having pores on the surface thereof, catalyst microparticles which are supported by these carbon particles and are finer than the carbon particles, a perfluoroalkylsulfonic acid polymer and a high-molecular compound having a repeating unit of a high-molecular chain fixed to the surface of the carbon particles.

1 . A fuel cell comprising:
 an anode, into which an aqueous methanol solution is introduced as fuel, comprising a current collector and a catalyst layer formed on the current collector;   a cathode, into which an oxidizing agent is introduced, comprising a current collector and a catalyst layer formed on the current collector; and   an electrolyte membrane interposed between the catalyst layer of the anode and the catalyst layer of the cathode,   wherein the catalyst layer of at least one of the anode and the cathode contains carbon particles having pores on the surface thereof, catalyst microparticles supported by these carbon particles, a perfluoroalkylsulfonic acid polymer and a high-molecular compound fixed to the surface of the carbon particles, the high-molecular compound being represented by the following formula (I), and   the catalyst microparticles are finer than the carbon particles   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       where R1 and R2, which may be the same or different, respectively represent an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and m denotes an integer of 200 to 2500. 
     
     
         2 . The fuel cell of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon particles have an average particle diameter of 0.005 to 0.08 μm. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel cell of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst microparticles in the catalyst layer of the cathode are platinum. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel cell of  claim 1 , wherein R1 and R2 in formula (I), which may be the same or different, respectively represent an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel cell of  claim 1 , wherein the high-molecular compound represented by formula (I) is a (3,5-dimethyl-4 methyltoluoylene ether) polymer. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel cell of  claim 1 , wherein the high-molecular compound represented by formula (I) is a (3,5-diethyl-4 methyltoluoylene ether) polymer. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel cell of  claim 1 , wherein the high-molecular compound represented by formula (I) is a (3,5-methoxy-4 methyltoluoylene ether) polymer. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel cell of  claim 1 , wherein the high-molecular compound represented by formula (I) is a (3,5-ethoxy-4 methyltoluoylene ether) polymer.