Membrane-electrode assembly for water electrolysis

Abstract

A membrane-electrode assembly for water electrolysis including a proton-exchange membrane, a first catalyst layer, a second catalyst layer, a first gas diffusion layer, a second gas diffusion layer and a first sensor chip. The proton-exchange membrane is disposed between an inner side of the first catalyst layer and an inner side of the second catalyst layer. The first gas diffusion layer is disposed on an outer side of the first catalyst layer. The second gas diffusion layer is disposed on an outer side of the second catalyst layer. The first sensor chip is sandwiched between the first catalyst layer and the first gas diffusion layer to sense an environmental change where water electrolysis takes place.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A membrane-electrode assembly for water electrolysis, comprising:
 a first catalyst layer;   a second catalyst layer;   a proton-exchange membrane disposed between an inner side of said first catalyst layer and an inner side of said second catalyst layer;   a first gas diffusion layer disposed on an outer side of said first catalyst layer;   a second gas diffusion layer disposed on an outer side of said second catalyst layer; and   a first sensor chip sandwiched between said first catalyst layer and said first gas diffusion layer so that said first sensor chip senses an environmental change where water electrolysis takes place.   
     
     
         2 . The membrane-electrode assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor chip sandwiched between said inner side of said second catalyst layer and an inner side of said second gas diffusion layer so that said second sensor chip senses said environmental change where water electrolysis takes place. 
     
     
         3 . The membrane-electrode assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a first packaging rim and a second packaging rim, wherein said proton-exchange membrane, said first sensor chip, said first catalyst layer, said second catalyst layer, said first gas diffusion layer and said second gas diffusion layer are sandwiched between said first packaging rim and said second packaging rim. 
     
     
         4 . The membrane-electrode assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said environmental change is a variation in temperature, voltage, current or pressure. 
     
     
         5 . A membrane-electrode assembly for water electrolysis, comprising:
 a first catalyst layer;   a second catalyst layer;   a proton-exchange membrane disposed between an inner side of said first catalyst layer and an inner side of said second catalyst layer;   a first gas diffusion layer disposed on an outer side of said first catalyst layer, wherein an inner side of said first gas diffusion layer corresponds to said outer side of said first catalyst layer;   a second gas diffusion layer disposed on an outer side of said second catalyst layer, wherein an inner side of said second gas diffusion layer corresponds to said outer side of said second catalyst layer;   a first packaging rim disposed on an outer side of said first gas diffusion layer, said first packaging rim comprising first rim portion and a first sensor portion, said first sensor portion being extended from said first rim portion to said first gas diffusion layer to sense an environmental change of said first gas diffusion layer where water electrolysis takes place; and   a second packaging rim disposed on an outer side of said second gas diffusion layer.   
     
     
         6 . The membrane-electrode assembly of  claim 5 , wherein said second packaging rim comprises a second rim portion and a second sensor portion, said second sensor portion being extended from said second rim portion to said second gas diffusion layer to sense an environmental change of said second gas diffusion layer where water electrolysis takes place. 
     
     
         7 . The membrane-electrode assembly of  claim 5 , wherein said environmental change is a variation in temperature, voltage, current or pressure. 
     
     
         8 . A membrane-electrode assembly for water electrolysis, comprising:
 a first catalyst layer;   a second catalyst layer;   a proton-exchange membrane disposed between an inner side of said first catalyst layer and an inner side of said second catalyst layer;   a first sensor chip sandwiched between said first catalyst layer and said proton-exchange membrane so that said first sensor chip senses an environmental change where water electrolysis takes place.   
     
     
         9 . The membrane-electrode assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising a first gas diffusion layer, a second gas diffusion layer, a first packaging rim and a second packaging rim, wherein said first catalyst layer is disposed on a side of said first gas diffusion layer, said second catalyst layer is disposed on a side of said second gas diffusion layer, said first packaging rim is disposed on an other side of said first gas diffusion layer and said second packaging rim is disposed on an other side of said second gas diffusion layer to package said proton-exchange membrane, said first sensor chip, said first catalyst layer, said second catalyst layer, said first gas diffusion layer and said second gas diffusion layer. 
     
     
         10 . The membrane-electrode assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising a second sensor chip sandwiched between said second catalyst layer and said proton-exchange membrane to sense an environmental change where water electrolysis takes place.