CN-122003300-A - Apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus for applying an adhesive to a substrate is provided. The substrate is a component for a fuel cell or electrolyser. The apparatus includes an adhesive dispensing unit including a first dispensing nozzle positioned to dispense adhesive in a first fixed position and a second dispensing nozzle positioned to dispense adhesive in a second fixed position, and a carrier including a substrate receiving area, wherein the carrier is movable in a longitudinal direction such that a first portion of the substrate receiving area is capable of passing through the first fixed position and a second portion of the substrate receiving area is capable of passing through the second fixed position. The adhesive dispensing unit is configured to dispense adhesive via the first dispensing nozzle as the first portion of the substrate receiving area moves through the first fixed position and to dispense adhesive via the second dispensing nozzle as the second portion of the substrate receiving area moves through the second fixed position. A method of applying the adhesive and a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly are also provided.

Inventors

• ELLIOT DOUGLAS G.
• W.L. Harrison
• D. Penn

Assignees

• 庄信万丰氢能科技有限公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20241025

Priority Date

20231026

Claims (20)

1. 1. An apparatus for applying an adhesive to a substrate, wherein the substrate is a component for a fuel cell or electrolyser, the apparatus comprising: An adhesive dispensing unit including a first dispensing nozzle positioned to dispense adhesive in a first fixed position and a second dispensing nozzle positioned to dispense adhesive in a second fixed position, and A carrier comprising a substrate receiving area, wherein the carrier is movable in a longitudinal direction such that a first portion of the substrate receiving area is capable of passing through the first fixed position and a second portion of the substrate receiving area is capable of passing through the second fixed position; Wherein the adhesive dispensing unit is configured to dispense adhesive via the first dispensing nozzle as the first portion of the substrate receiving area moves through the first fixed position and to dispense adhesive via the second dispensing nozzle as the second portion of the substrate receiving area moves through the second fixed position.
2. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second fixed positions are aligned in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
3. 3. The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the carrier comprises at least one substrate alignment member.
4. 4. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the substrate receiving area comprises a suction bed.
5. 5. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of substrate receiving areas.
6. 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the carrier comprises at least one column of substrate receiving areas and/or at least one row of substrate receiving areas, wherein the or each column comprises substrate receiving areas extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction, and the or each row comprises substrate receiving areas extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
7. 7. The apparatus of claim 5 or 6, wherein the carrier comprises an array of substrate receiving areas, the array comprising a plurality of columns and rows, wherein each column comprises a plurality of substrate receiving areas extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction, and each row comprises a substrate receiving area extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
8. 8. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the first dispensing nozzle and the second dispensing nozzle form a pair of dispensing nozzles, and the device comprises a pair of dispensing nozzles.
9. 9. The device of claim 8, wherein adjacent pairs of dispensing nozzles are arranged spaced apart in the longitudinal direction.
10. 10. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the carrier is movable in the longitudinal direction to enter the adhesive dispensing unit from a first side and movable to exit the adhesive dispensing unit from a second side.
11. 11. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the carrier is movable in the longitudinal direction to enter the adhesive dispensing unit from a first side and movable in a direction opposite the longitudinal direction to exit the adhesive dispensing unit from the first side.
12. 12. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the carrier is movable in the longitudinal direction on a linear track.
13. 13. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the carrier comprises a conveyor.
14. 14. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the carrier is a first carrier and the device further comprises a second carrier comprising a substrate receiving area, wherein the second carrier is movable such that a first portion of the substrate receiving area of the second carrier is capable of passing through the first fixed location and a second portion of the substrate receiving area on the second carrier is capable of passing through the second fixed location.
15. 15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first carrier and the second carrier are each movable in the longitudinal direction to enter the adhesive dispensing unit from a first side.
16. 16. The device of claim 14, wherein the first carrier is movable in the longitudinal direction to enter the adhesive dispensing unit from a first side and the second carrier is movable in a direction opposite the longitudinal direction to enter the adhesive dispensing unit from a second side, wherein the first side is opposite the second side.
17. 17. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus further comprises a pick and place robot for providing a substrate onto the substrate receiving area.
18. 18. A roll-to-roll manufacturing system for manufacturing components of a fuel cell or electrolyser, the roll-to-roll manufacturing system comprising an apparatus according to any preceding claim.
19. 19. A method of applying an adhesive to a substrate using the apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the substrate is a component for a fuel cell or electrolyser, the method comprising the steps of: (a) Providing a substrate on a substrate receiving area; (b) Moving the carrier in a longitudinal direction such that a first portion of the substrate passes through the first fixed location and a second portion of the substrate passes through the second fixed location; (c) Dispensing adhesive onto the first portion of the substrate via the first dispensing nozzle as the first portion of the substrate moves through the first fixed position, and (D) Dispensing adhesive onto the second portion of the substrate via the second dispensing nozzle as the second portion of the substrate moves through the second fixed position; Wherein steps (c) and (d) can occur in any order and/or simultaneously.
20. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein steps (c) and (d) begin at different times.

Description

Apparatus and method Technical Field The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying an adhesive to a substrate, wherein the substrate is a component for a fuel cell or an electrolyzer. Preferably, the substrate is a gas diffusion layer or a porous transport layer, and most preferably is a gas diffusion layer. The invention also relates to a related method of applying an adhesive to such a substrate. Background A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that includes two electrodes separated by an electrolyte. A fuel (e.g., hydrogen, an alcohol (such as methanol or ethanol), or formic acid) is supplied to the anode, and an oxidant (e.g., oxygen or air) is supplied to the cathode. Electrochemical reactions occur at the electrodes and the chemical energy of the fuel and oxidant is converted into electrical energy and heat. Electrocatalysts are used to promote the electrochemical oxidation of fuel at the anode and the electrochemical reduction of oxygen at the cathode. Fuel cells are generally classified according to the nature of the electrolyte used. The electrolyte is typically a solid polymer membrane, wherein the membrane is electrically insulating but ion conducting. In Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs), the membrane is proton conductive and protons generated at the anode are transported across the membrane to the cathode, where they combine with oxygen to form water. An electrolyzer is an electrochemical device for electrolyzing water to produce high purity hydrogen and oxygen. The electrolyzer may be operated in alkaline and acidic systems. Those cells employing solid proton conducting polymer electrolyte membranes or Proton Exchange Membranes (PEM) are known as proton exchange membrane water electrolysis cells (PEMWEs). Those cells that utilize solid anion conducting polymer electrolyte membranes or Anion Exchange Membranes (AEMs) are referred to as anion exchange membrane water electrolysis cells (AEMWE). The primary component of a fuel cell or water electrolyser is a Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA). MEA is typically composed of five layers. The middle layer is a polymer ion conductive film. On either side of the ion-conducting membrane there is an electrocatalyst layer comprising an electrocatalyst designed for a specific electrolytic reaction. Finally, a gas diffusion layer and/or a porous transport layer is present adjacent to each electrocatalyst layer. The gas diffusion layer (or porous transport layer) enables the reactants to reach the electrocatalyst layer and conduct the current generated by the electrochemical reactions. The gas diffusion layer (or porous transport layer) is porous and electrically conductive. The electrocatalyst layer typically comprises an electrocatalyst material comprising a metal or metal alloy suitable for use in an oxidation reaction (e.g., fuel oxidation) or a reduction reaction (e.g., oxygen reduction), depending on whether the layer is to be used for an anode or a cathode. Electrocatalysts are typically based on platinum or platinum alloyed with one or more other metals. Platinum or platinum alloy catalysts may be in the form of unsupported nanoparticles (such as metallic black or other unsupported particulate metal powders), but more conventionally platinum or platinum alloys are deposited as higher surface area nanoparticles onto high surface area conductive carbon materials (such as carbon black or heat treated forms thereof). Anode catalysts for PEMWE typically include iridium or iridium oxide (IrOx) materials or oxides containing both iridium and ruthenium. The electrocatalyst layer also typically comprises a proton-conducting material, such as a proton-conducting polymer, to facilitate proton transfer from the anode catalyst to the membrane and/or from the membrane to the cathode catalyst. Conventionally, MEAs may be constructed by a variety of methods outlined below: (i) An electrocatalyst layer may be applied to the gas diffusion layer (or porous transport layer) to form a gas diffusion electrode (or porous transport electrode). Gas diffusion electrodes (or porous transfer electrodes) may be placed on each side of the ion-conducting membrane and laminated together to form a five-layer MEA; (ii) An electrocatalyst layer may be applied to both sides of the ion-conducting membrane to form a catalyst coated ion-conducting membrane. Subsequently, a gas diffusion layer (and/or a porous transport layer) is applied to each face of the catalyst coated ion conductive membrane. (Iii) The MEA may be formed of an ion-conductive membrane coated with an electrocatalyst layer on one side, a gas diffusion layer (or porous transport layer) adjacent to the electrocatalyst layer, and a gas diffusion electrode (or porous transport electrode) on the other side of the ion-conductive membrane. Typically, tens or hundreds of MEAs are required to provide sufficient power for most applications, and therefore multiple MEAs are assembled to make up a fuel cell stac