US 12,347,870 B2
Method for manufacturing catalyst ink for fuel cell electrode
Atsushi Nogi, Toyota (JP); Takanori Kajihara, Toyota (JP); and Fumito Tomimasu, Toyota (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Aug. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/820,333.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-141176 (JP), filed on Aug. 31, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0072339 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. H01M 4/86 (2006.01); B01F 27/90 (2022.01); B01F 35/53 (2022.01); B01J 21/18 (2006.01); B01J 37/04 (2006.01); H01M 4/88 (2006.01); H01M 4/90 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 4/8663 (2013.01) [B01F 27/90 (2022.01); B01F 35/53 (2022.01); B01J 21/18 (2013.01); B01J 37/04 (2013.01); H01M 4/881 (2013.01); H01M 4/8828 (2013.01); H01M 4/90 (2013.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing a catalyst ink for fuel cell electrodes containing a catalyst, a solvent, and an ionomer, the method comprising
stirring and mixing the catalyst, the solvent, and the ionomer by a high-shear thin-film spin mixer,
wherein the ionomer contains a solution-like ionomer and a gel-like ionomer, which is an ionomer having a structure that becomes a steric hindrance in a construction of the ionomer, and
wherein the catalyst contains a carbon;
wherein a content of the solution-like ionomer is from 5 mass % to 20 mass % when a content of the carbon in the catalyst is defined as 100 mass %,
wherein a content of a whole ionomer is from 50 mass % to 90 mass % when the carbon in the catalyst is set to 100 mass %,
wherein the high-shear thin-film spin mixer includes a cylindrical stirring tank, a rotary vane, and a shaft, the cylindrical stirring tank having unevennesses on an inner peripheral surface thereof, the rotary vane being concentric with the stirring tank and having an outer diameter slightly smaller than an inner diameter of the stirring tank, and the shaft including the rotary vane on an end portion thereof and being rotatable at high speed in forward and reverse directions.