Fuel cell with an electrolyte stabilizing agent and process of making the same

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment may include a fuel cell comprising an electrolyte layer and an electrolyte stabilizing agent. The electrolyte stabilizing agent is disposed in an electrochemically non-active layer and configured to migrate from the non-active layer to the electrolyte layer. Another exemplary embodiment may include a microporous layer comprising an electrolyte stabilizing agent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process comprising: providing a plurality of fuel cell component layers including electrochemically active and electrochemically non-active layers, wherein said electrochemically active layers include an anode layer, a cathode layer, and an electrolyte membrane layer, and said electrochemically non-active layers include a gas diffusion layer and a microporous layer; combining an electrolyte stabilizing agent and a hydrophobic agent into a solution or dispersion; applying said solution or dispersion to at least one of the non-active layers to form one or more treated non-active layers such that said electrolyte stabilizing agent and said hydrophobic agent have been previously combined and incorporated in at least one of said treated non-active layers; and forming a fuel cell by stacking said electrochemically active and treated non-active layers together such that said electrolyte stabilizing agent provides a metal ion from a treated non-active layer to an active layer during operation of said fuel cell, wherein the electrolyte stabilizing agent comprises zinc phthalocyanine, copper phthalocyanine, iron phthalocyanine, or cobalt phthalocyanine, or an organometallic complex of Cu 2+ , Cu 1+ , Ce 3+ , Ce 4+ , Mn 2+ , Mn 3+  or Zn 2+ . 
     
     
         2 . A process as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte stabilizing agent provides a cerium metal ion. 
     
     
         3 . A process as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte stabilizing agent is incorporated in said microporous layer and said microporous layer is in direct contact with an anode or cathode layer. 
     
     
         4 . A fuel cell comprising an electrolyte layer, a gas diffusion layer, a microporous layer, an anode, a cathode, and a bipolar plate, an electrolyte stabilizing agent on or in at least one of the gas diffusion layer, microporous layer, anode, cathode, or bipolar plate, wherein the electrolyte stabilizing agent comprises an organometallic complex, and wherein said electrolyte stabilizing agent has an affinity for the electrolyte layer so that a metal ion of the electrolyte stabilizing agent migrates to said electrolyte layer, wherein said metal ion is an ion of Ce. 
     
     
         5 . A process comprising: providing a plurality of fuel cell component layers including electrochemically active and electrochemically non-active layers, wherein said electrochemically active layers include an anode layer, a cathode layer, and an electrolyte membrane layer, and said electrochemically non-active layers include a gas diffusion layer and a microporous layer; combining an electrolyte stabilizing agent and a hydrophobic agent into a solution or dispersion; applying said solution or dispersion to at least one of the non-active layers to form one or more treated non-active layers such that said electrolyte stabilizing agent and said hydrophobic agent have been previously combined and incorporated in at least one of said treated non-active layers; and forming a fuel cell by stacking said electrochemically active and treated non-active layers together such that said electrolyte stabilizing agent provides a metal ion from a treated non-active layer to an active layer during operation of said fuel cell, wherein the electrolyte stabilizing agent comprises zinc phthalocyanine, copper phthalocyanine, iron phthalocyanine, or cobalt phthalocyanine, or an organometallic complex of Cu 2+ , Cu 1+ , Ce 3+ , Ce 4+ , or Zn 2+ . 
     
     
         6 . A process comprising: providing a plurality of fuel cell component layers including electrochemically active and electrochemically non-active layers, wherein said electrochemically active layers include an anode layer, a cathode layer, and an electrolyte membrane layer, and said electrochemically non-active layers include a gas diffusion layer and a microporous layer; combining an electrolyte stabilizing agent and a hydrophobic agent into a solution or dispersion; applying said solution or dispersion to at least one of the non-active layers to form one or more treated non-active layers such that said electrolyte stabilizing agent and said hydrophobic agent have been previously combined and incorporated in at least one of said treated non-active layers; and forming a fuel cell by stacking said electrochemically active and treated non-active layers together such that said electrolyte stabilizing agent provides a metal ion from a treated non-active layer to an active layer during operation of said fuel cell, wherein the electrolyte stabilizing agent comprises zinc phthalocyanine, copper phthalocyanine, iron phthalocyanine, or cobalt phthalocyanine, or an organometallic complex of Cu 2+ , Cu 1+ , Ce 3+ , or Zn 2+ .