US 12,320,013 B2
Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer membrane electrode assembly
Fan Yang, Latham, NY (US); Chao Lei, Latham, NY (US); Arthur Griffith, Latham, NY (US); Robert Stone, Latham, NY (US); and Cortney Mittelsteadt, Latham, NY (US)
Assigned to PLUG POWER INC., Slingerlands, NY (US)
Filed by PLUG POWER INC., Latham, NY (US)
Filed on Feb. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/590,971.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/144,539, filed on Feb. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0243344 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. C25B 11/081 (2021.01); C25B 1/04 (2021.01); C25B 9/19 (2021.01); C25B 11/053 (2021.01); C25B 13/02 (2006.01); C25B 13/08 (2006.01)
CPC C25B 1/04 (2013.01) [C25B 9/19 (2021.01); C25B 11/053 (2021.01); C25B 11/081 (2021.01); C25B 13/02 (2013.01); C25B 13/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A exchange membrane consisting of:
a first layer membrane having a first thickness;
a second layer membrane disposed directly on the first layer membrane, the second layer membrane having a thickness less than the first thickness, and the second layer membrane containing a mixture of a nanoparticle catalyst and an ionomer, the catalyst disposed throughout the thickness of the second layer membrane, a catalyst content in the second layer membrane being greater than a catalyst content in the first layer membrane;
the exchange membrane having an interface between the first layer membrane and the second layer membrane, wherein the first layer membrane and the second layer membrane contact each other at the interface;
the first layer membrane laminated to the second layer membrane to define a laminated bi-layer exchange membrane;
the bi-layer exchange membrane operable to allow the passage of cations;
wherein the bi-layer exchange membrane is operable in an membrane electrode assembly (MEA) upon application of an electrical supply to an anode electrode and a cathode electrode to conduct protons through the exchange membrane to electrolyze and split water into oxygen and hydrogen; and
wherein the laminated exchange membrane is disposed on a roll.