Patent ID: 8663872
Filing Date: 2014-03-04
Classification: H01M,Y02B,Y02E,Y02P,Y02T,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for manufacturing a membrane-membrane reinforcing member assembly, comprising steps of: (A) disposing a pair of first membrane reinforcing members, on portions, respectively, extending along a pair of opposed sides of four sides of a first main surface and a second main surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane, the first main surface and the second main surface facing face each other and respectively having a substantially rectangular shape, each of the pair of first membrane reinforcing members having a main surface smaller than the first main surface and having a film shape; and (B) disposing a pair of second membrane reinforcing members, each having a main surface smaller than the second main surface and having a film shape, on portions, respectively, extending along a pair of opposed sides of four sides of the second main surface, wherein: in said steps A and B, said pair of first membrane reinforcing members and said pair of second membrane reinforcing members are disposed so as to extend along four sides as a whole, respectively, of the polymer electrolyte membrane and so as to sandwich four corners of the polymer electrolyte membrane, said step A includes: a step of preparing a roll of the polymer electrolyte membrane having a tape shape and rolls of said two first membrane reinforcing members each having a tape-shape; a step of pulling out the tape-shaped polymer electrolyte membrane and the two tape-shaped first membrane reinforcing members from the respective rolls and joining the two first membrane reinforcing members to side end portions, respectively, of the first main surface of the tape-shaped polymer electrolyte membrane; and a step of cutting the tape-shaped polymer electrolyte membrane, to the side end portions of which the two tape-shaped first membrane reinforcing members are joined, into pieces each having a predetermined length, the pair of first membrane reinforcing members and the pair of second membrane reinforcing members are made of at least one type of synthetic resin selected from a group consisting of polyethylene naphthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, fluoroethylene-propylene copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoro alkoxy ethylene copolymer, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyether amide, polyether imide, polyether ether ketone, polyether sulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyarylate, polysulfide, polyimide, and polyimide amide, and the pair of first membrane reinforcing members or the pair of second membrane reinforcing members are disposed only at the pair of opposed sides of four sides of the first main surface, or the second main surface respectively.