Gas diffusion layer and electrochemical hydrogen pump

Abstract

A gas diffusion layer includes sheet materials laminated to each other and each having a gas diffusion portion in which through-holes are provided to allow a gas to pass therethrough, and a manifold hole which is provided in a region other than that of the gas diffusion portion and through which the gas passes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas diffusion layer comprising:
 sheet materials laminated to each other and each including a gas diffusion portion in which through-holes are provided to allow a gas to pass therethrough, and at least one manifold hole which is provided in a region other than that of the gas diffusion portion and through which the gas passes.   
     
     
         2 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sheet materials further include a sealing portion provided in a region not surrounding the manifold hole and outside the gas diffusion portion and at least one alignment portion which aligns adjacent sheet materials with each other, and   the at least one alignment portion is provided outside the sealing portion.   
     
     
         3 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one alignment portion is provided between the sealing portion and the manifold hole. 
     
     
         4 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one alignment portion is provided at a side closer to the sealing portion than to the manifold hole. 
     
     
         5 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one alignment portion is provided around the periphery of the sealing portion. 
     
     
         6 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 2 , wherein the number of the at least one alignment portion is two or more, and the alignment portions are provided at positions which face each other with the gas diffusion portion interposed therebetween. 
     
     
         7 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sheet materials includes at least one communication path communicating between the through-holes. 
     
     
         8 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 7 , wherein one of the sheet materials which are located most outside has a small number of the communication paths as compared to that of each of the other sheet materials. 
     
     
         9 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet materials which are adjacent to each other are adhered to each other. 
     
     
         10 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 7 , wherein the communication path communicates between through-holes provided in the same sheet material adjacent to the sheet material in which the communication path is provided. 
     
     
         11 . The gas diffusion layer according to  claim 7 , wherein the communication path communicates between through-holes provided in different sheet materials each adjacent to the sheet material in which the communication path is provided. 
     
     
         12 . An electrochemical hydrogen pump comprising:
 an electrolyte membrane having a pair of main surfaces;   a cathode catalyst layer provided on one main surface of the electrolyte membrane;   an anode catalyst layer provided on the other main surface of the electrolyte membrane;   a cathode gas diffusion layer provided on the cathode catalyst layer;   an anode gas diffusion layer provided on the anode catalyst layer;   a first plate including a gas flow path through which an anode gas flows;   a second plate including a gas flow path through which a cathode gas flows; and   a voltage application device applying a voltage between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer,   wherein the anode gas diffusion layer is the gas diffusion layer according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         13 . The electrochemical hydrogen pump according to  claim 12 , wherein the communication path communicates between a through-hole of the sheet materials located above a vertical line to the gas flow path of the first plate and a through-hole of the sheet materials located above a vertical line to a portion at which no gas flow path of the first plate is provided.