Patent ID: 8951605
Filing Date: 2015-02-10
Classification: C25B,H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method of fabricating a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) structure comprising: a. providing a sacrificial support layer, wherein said sacrificial support layer comprises a removable material; b. bonding a continuous non-planar current collector sheet or foil to said sacrificial support layer, wherein said continuous non-planar current collector sheet or foil comprises through-hole features with vertical walls; c. using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to deposit a first 3-dimensional non-planar conformal electrode layer (first electrode layer) to said continuous non-planar current collector sheet or foil and to said sacrificial support layer, wherein said first electrode layer uniformly and conformally coats the top surface of said continuous non-planar current collector and the vertical walls of said through-hole features in said continuous non-planer current collector sheet or foil and an exposed surface of said sacrificial support layer; d. using said (ALD) to deposit a pinhole-free non-planar electrolyte layer on said first electrode layer, wherein said pinhole-free non-planar electrolyte layer uniformly and conformally coats the vertical walls and top surface of said first electrode layer to form a 3-dimensional non-planar pinhole-free electrolyte layer; e. using said (ALD) to deposit a second 3-dimensional non-planar conformal electrode layer (second electrode layer) on said 3-dimensional non-planar pinhole-free electrolyte layer, wherein said second electrode layer uniformly and conformally coats the vertical walls and top surface of said 3-dimensional non-planar pinhole-free electrolyte layer; and f. removing, using an appropriate solution process, said sacrificial support layer from said continuous non-planar current collector sheet or foil; wherein after forming the MEA, depositing a third planar electrode layer contacting an underside of the continuous non-planar current collector sheet or foil and the first electrode, and said continuous non-planar current collector sheet or foil is enveloped in said electrode layer and said third electrode layer.