Patent ID: 6881510

Claim:
A method for restoring performance of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising: a cell body composed of laminated unit cells, each of said unit cells comprising a cathode and an anode interposing a hydrogen ion-conductive polymer electrolyte membrane therebetween and a pair of conductive separator plates having gas flow paths for supplying and discharging an oxidant gas and a fuel gas to and from said cathode and said anode respectively and sandwiching said cathode and said anode therebetween; means for supplying and discharging said oxidant gas and said fuel gas to and from said cell body; and means for controlling output of a current generated in said cell body, said method comprising the step of operating said polymer electrolyte fuel cell for a predetermined time either in an operation mode at a current of not less than 1.5 times as high as that in a normal operation, or in an operation mode at a current giving an output voltage per unit cell of not more than 0.2 V, thereby restoring the performance of said fuel cell.