HYDROGEN PERMEABLE MEMBRANE FOR USE IN FUEL CELLS, AND PARTIAL REFORMATE FUEL CELL SYSTEM HAVING REFORMING CATALYSTS IN THE ANODE FUEL CELL COMPARTMENT

摘要

An electronically insulating proton conductor (C) is adhered or deposited as a film on a dense phase proton permeable material (D) in a thickness such that the composite C/D has a proton conductivity in a preferred intermediate temperature range of 175-550 DEG C. The composite C/D is incorporated in a high temperature electrolyte membrane electrolyte assembly (MEA), which is incorporated into a fuel cell that can operate in this intermediate temperature range. The fuel cell in turn is incorporated into a fuel cell system having a fuel reformer in the flow field of a fuel mixture entering the fuel cell or in a mode where the fuel cell receives fuel from an external reformer.