CATALYST LAYER FORMING METHOD AND CATALYST LAYER FORMING APPARATUS

摘要

An electrolyte membrane for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell is sent out from an unwinding roller and wound around a winding roller to be transported continuously at a constant speed in a roll-to-roll mode. Two stages of drying processes are performed on a catalyst ink layer applied to a surface of an electrolyte membrane with a backsheet in a first drying furnace and a second drying furnace. The first drying furnace blows a hot air of a first temperature lower than a glass transition temperature of the electrolyte membrane to evaporate a solvent from the catalyst ink layer. The second drying furnace blows a hot air of a second temperature higher than the first temperature and also higher than a glass transition temperature of a to-be-formed catalyst layer to turn the catalyst ink layer into a catalyst layer.