Gas diffusion layer and electrochemical hydrogen pump

Abstract

A gas diffusion layer includes a laminate made up of sheets each having a plurality of through-holes through which gas passes. One or a plurality of the sheets in the laminate includes communication paths to communicate the through-holes in another sheet adjacent to the one sheet or one of the plurality of sheets with each other or to communicate the through-holes in another sheet adjacent to the one sheet or one of the plurality of sheets with the through-holes in the other adjacent sheet, the through-holes being separated from and being not communicated with the other through-holes in the same sheet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas diffusion layer including a laminate made up of sheets each having through-holes through which gas passes, wherein one or a plurality of sheets in the laminate includes communication paths to communicate the through-holes in another sheet adjacent to the one sheet or one of the plurality of sheets with each other or to communicate the through-holes in another sheet adjacent to the one sheet or one of the plurality of sheets with the through-holes in the other adjacent sheet, the through-holes being separated from and being not communicated with the other through-holes in the same sheet. 
     
     
         2 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 1 , wherein a number of the communication paths in one of the plurality of sheets in the laminate, the one sheet being in contact with a catalyst layer, is smaller than a number of the communication paths in another sheet of the plurality of sheets. 
     
     
         3 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 1 , wherein adjacent two of the sheets in the laminate are bonded to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 1 , wherein the through-holes and the communication paths are formed in same one principal surface of the one sheet or each of the plurality of sheets. 
     
     
         5 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 1 , wherein respective opening areas of the through-holes and the communication paths in same one principal surface of the one sheet or each of the plurality of sheets are different from each other. 
     
     
         6 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 5 , wherein the opening area of the communication paths is larger than the opening area of the through-holes in the same one principal surface of the one sheet or each of the plurality of sheets. 
     
     
         7 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 1 , wherein respective numbers of the through-holes and the communication paths in same one principal surface of the one sheet or each of the plurality of sheets are different from each other. 
     
     
         8 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 7 , wherein the number of the through-holes is larger than the number of the communication paths in the same one principal surface of the one sheet or each of the plurality of sheets. 
     
     
         9 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 1 , wherein an area of a region of the sheet where the through-holes are not opened is larger than an opening area of the through-holes in a zone of same one principal surface of the sheet, the zone being positioned in an overlapped relation to a catalyst layer to which the gas diffusion layer is adjacent. 
     
     
         10 . An electrochemical hydrogen pump comprising:
 an electrolyte membrane having a pair of principal surfaces;   a cathode catalyst layer disposed on one of the principal surfaces of the electrolyte membrane;   an anode catalyst layer disposed on the other principal surface of the electrolyte membrane;   a cathode gas diffusion layer disposed in contact with the cathode catalyst layer;   an anode gas diffusion layer disposed in contact with the anode catalyst layer;   a first plate including a gas flow channel through which anode gas flows;   a second plate including a gas flow channel through which cathode gas flows; and   a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer,   wherein the anode gas diffusion layer includes the gas diffusion layer according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         11 . The electrochemical hydrogen pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the communication path communicates one of the through-holes in the laminate, the one through-hole being positioned on a line perpendicularly extending from the gas flow channel in the first plate, with another one of the through-holes in the laminate, the other through-hole being positioned on a line perpendicularly extending from a portion of the first plate where the gas flow channel is not provided. 
     
     
         12 . The electrochemical hydrogen pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the cathode gas diffusion layer includes a single sheet including a plurality of ventilation holes.