BONDED FUEL CELL ASSEMBLY, METHODS, SYSTEMS AND SEALANT COMPOSITIONS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

摘要

A fuel cell, having improved sealing against leakage, includes a sealant disposed over the peripheral portions a membrane electrode assembly such that the cured sealant penetrates a gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode assembly. The sealant is applied through liquid injection molding techniques to form cured sealant composition at the peripheral potions of the membrane electrode assembly. The sealant may be thermally cured at low temperatures, for example 130°C or less, or may be cured at room temperature through the application of actinic. radiation. The sealant may be a one-part or a two-part sealant. The sealant includes a polymerizable material, such as a polymerizable monomer, oligomer, telechelic polymer, functional polymer and combinations thereof functionalized with a group selected from epoxy, allyl, vinyl, (meth) acrylate, imide, amide, urethane and combinations thereof. Useful fuel cell components to be bonded include a cathode flow field plate, an anode flow field plate, a resin frame, a gas diffusion layer, an anode catalyst layer, a cathode catalyst layer, a membrane electrolyte, a membrane-electrode-assembly frame, and combinations thereof.