| 摘要 |
An object of the present invention is to provide a single fuel cell which can suppress mechanical load applied to the electrolyte membrane of the same and apply a sufficient load per unit area of the central region of the same. The object was achieved by a single fuel cell which comprises a membrane electrode assembly and a pair of separators, in which assembly an anode electrode that comprises an anode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer is provided on a first surface of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and a cathode electrode that comprises a cathode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer is provided on a second surface of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, wherein, on at least one of the anode and cathode sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, the anode or cathode catalyst layer has a size and shape that are slightly smaller than those of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and those of the gas diffusion layer, and an outer peripheral edge portion of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and that of the gas diffusion layer stick out of an outer periphery of the anode or cathode catalyst layer and face each other; wherein a frame-shaped protective layer is provided on at least one of the anode and cathode sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, which has a first part that is present between the outer peripheral edge portion of the electrolyte membrane and that of the gas diffusion layer which face each other, and a second part that overlaps the outer periphery of the anode or cathode catalyst layer; and wherein the single fuel cell comprises a single fuel cell thickness control layer which is thinner in a region of the single fuel cell where the second part of the protective layer is present than in a central region of the single fuel cell where the protective layer is not present, or is not present in the region where the second part of the protective layer is present so that the thickness of the single fuel cell in the region where the second part of the protective layer is present is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the same in the central region where the protective layer is not present. |
