Patent ID: 9484581
Filing Date: 2016-11-01
CPC Classification: H01M,Y02E

Claim Text:
1. A method for manufacturing a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly having an ion exchange membrane affixed between a first gas diffusion layer and a second gas diffusion layer, the method comprising the steps of: positioning the first and the second gas diffusion layers with the membrane in-between between two halves of a thermo-mold assembly, each mold half having a protruding region that mirrors the location of a high density region to be formed in the first and second gas diffusion layers at an outboard region that extends about a periphery of the first and second diffusion layers at a location spaced inward from an outer perimeter edge of the first and second gas diffusion layers; closing the mold halves under heat such that the protruding regions of the mold halves compress the first and the second diffusion layers at the high density regions to increase the density of the first and second diffusion layers at the high density regions; injecting an elastomeric material that is heated to a liquid within a cavity of the closed mold, the cavity located about the periphery of the membrane electrode assembly at a low density region that is outboard of the high density region, the liquid elastomer flows within and impregnates the first and second diffusion layers at the low density region; and curing the liquid elastomeric material to form an elastomeric seal that is impregnated within and forming a seal bead overtop of the first and second diffusion layers at the low density region and extends around side surfaces of the first and second diffusion layers at a perimeter of the first and second diffusion layers.