A Novel Machine Concept for the Continuous Manufacturing of 7-layer Membrane Electrode Assemblies for PEM Fuel Cells

The main cost driver for the low temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (LT-PEMFC) is the 7-layer membrane electrode assembly (MEA) consisting of one catalyst coated membrane (CCM), two subgaskets and two gas diffusion layers (GDL). To fulfil the auxiliary functions such as gas crossover prevention and electrical insulation, the subgasket area is also referred to as the non-active area, which doesn’t contribute to electricity generation. To avoid scraps of cost-intensive materials, the size of the CCM and GDL is often designed only slightly larger than the active area, corresponding to the central cut-outs of the subgasket. Over the last decade, numerous patents have been filed to contribute to the machine and process design to automatically manufacture the 7-layer MEA, which can be broadly divided into pick-and-place based sheet-to-roll processes and traditional roll-to-roll processes, however, with material waste. Pick-and-place operations for fragile and limp MEA components that require damage-free handling are challenging. Hence, a roll-to-roll process for the MEA assembly is still desired given the upcoming manufacturing scale-up. ... mehrIn this work, a novel machine concept based on a cut-and-place principle was proposed and developed, which combines the advantages of efficient material utilization from single-sheet handling and high productivity through adaptive roll-to-roll processing. The design focused on a multifunction-integrated handling system that couples the final manufacturing step with the assembly process to avoid changing the order state of the limp materials during transport and buffer storage. A complete process workflow focusing on the speed synchronization between machine components is also illustrated. Application scenarios and the system limitations of the developed machine concept are also discussed