POLYMER ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELL, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME AND INSPECTION METHOD THEREFOR

摘要

The durability of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell is very significantly improved by using a tightening pressure of about 2 to 4 kgf/cm2 of area of electrode; or a tightening pressure of about 4 to 8 kgf/cm2 of contact area between electrode and separator plate; or by selecting a value not exceeding about 1.5 mS/cm2 for the short-circuit conductivity attributed to the DC resistance component in each unit cell; or by selecting a value not exceeding about 3 mA/cm2 for the hydrogen leak current per area of electrode of each MEA. Further, in a method of manufacturing or an inspection method for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack, fuel cells havi ng high durability can be efficiently manufactured by removing such MEAs or unit cells using such MEAs or such cell stacks having short-circuit conductivity values and/or hydrogen leak current values exceeding predetermined values, respectively.