Unit cell for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell

摘要

A unit cell (12) for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising: a membrane/electrode assembly (18) including a fuel electrode (16a) and an oxidant electrode (16b) disposed on either side of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane (14), the assembly being sandwiched from either side by a first separator (24) and a second separator (26) to give a stacked construction to form therebetween a fuel gas flow passage (76) and an oxidant gas flow passage (78). The solid polymer electrolyte membrane (14) has a projecting portion (19) projecting outwardly beyond the fuel electrode (16a) and the oxidant electrode (16b), and the projecting portion (19) is coated by a reinforcing resin member (20). Connecting grooves (64) formed on a primary face (3 8) of the separators connecting both ends of the fuel gas / oxidant gas flow passages (76) with a fuel/oxidant gas feed /discharge ports (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d), respectively. The reinforcing resin member (20) is placed so as to bridge openings of the connecting grooves (46) in order to give a tunnel construction to the connecting grooves (46).