Patent ID: 8053138
Filing Date: 2011-11-08
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A device for use in a fuel cell, comprising: a cathode catalyst for receiving a first reactant; an anode catalyst for receiving an expected amount of a second reactant, the cathode catalyst and the anode catalyst respectively catalyze the first reactant and the second reactant to produce an electrochemical reaction that generates a flow of electrons between the anode catalyst and cathode catalyst, wherein the amount of the first reactant consumed in the electrochemical reaction corresponds to a threshold amount of the second reactant needed to generate a desired flow of the electrons; and a first fuel cell portion including a feature that restricts consumption of the first reactant, relative to another portion of the fuel cell, to maintain the threshold amount within a desired range of the expected amount of the second reactant, wherein the first fuel cell portion and the other portion of the fuel cell each include a porous layer having openings for flow of the first reactant to the cathode catalyst, and the feature includes a filler in the porous layer of the first fuel cell portion that partially blocks the openings to restrict consumption.