Patent ID: 8586260
Filing Date: 2013-11-19
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell with multiple independent reaction regions, comprising: a first bipolar plate having a plurality of first electrochemical reaction regions and a plurality of first non-electrochemical reaction regions, wherein every two adjacent first electrochemical reaction regions are separated by a respective one of the first non-electrochemical reaction regions; a second bipolar plate having a plurality of second electrochemical reaction regions and a plurality of second non-electrochemical reaction regions, wherein every two adjacent second electrochemical reaction regions are separated by a respective one of the second non-electrochemical reaction regions; a membrane electrode assembly disposed between the first and the second bipolar plates, comprising: a plurality of first insulating fillers, wherein each of the first insulating fillers is disposed between respective two adjacent first catalyst sublayers; a plurality of second insulating fillers, wherein each of the second insulating fillers is disposed between respective two adjacent second catalyst sublayers; a plurality of third insulating fillers, wherein each of the third insulating fillers is disposed between respective two adjacent first gas diffusion sublayers; and a plurality of fourth insulating fillers, wherein each of the fourth insulating fillers is disposed between respective two adjacent second gas diffusion sublayers, wherein: each of the first catalyst sublayers corresponds to a respective one of the second catalyst sublayers, each of the first electrochemical reaction regions is disposed on a respective one of the first catalyst sublayers, each of the second electrochemical reaction regions is disposed on a respective one of the second catalyst sublayers, at least some of the first or the second non-electrochemical reaction regions are made of a non-conductive material selected from the group consisting of styrene-butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers and polyvinyl chloride, and each of the first insulating fillers and a respective one of the third insulating fillers are structurally integrated with a respective one of the first non-electrochemical reaction regions, and wherein each of the second insulating fillers and a respective one of the fourth insulating fillers are structurally integrated with a respective one of the second non-electrochemical reaction regions.