Patent ID: 6916575

Claim:
A polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising: a hydrogen ion-conductive polymer electrolyte membrane; a pair of electrodes sandwiching said electrolyte membrane therebetween; and a pair of separator plates which respectively have a gas flow channel for supplying and discharging a fuel gas to and from one of said electrodes and a gas flow channel for supplying and discharging an oxidant gas to and from the other of said electrodes, wherein each of said electrodes comprises a catalyst later in contact with said electrolyte membrane and a gas diffusion layer provided outside said catalyst layer, and said catalyst layer of at least one of said electrodes comprises two layers: a layer which is composed of conductive carbon carrying catalyst metal and a hydrogen ion-conductive polymer electrolyte and in contact with said polymer electrolyte membrane; and a layer which is composed of conductive carbon carrying no catalyst metal and a hydrogen ion-conductive polymer electrolyte, wherein the amount of the conductive carbon carrying no catalyst metal is equivalent to 20 to 30 wt % of the conductive carbon carrying the catalyst metal.