Patent ID: 7429280

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a self-supporting ion-conducting polymer membrane for a fuel cell comprising an ion-conducting polymer made of a polymer-forming hydrocarbon material and a metal-containing gel hydrolyzed and/or condensed from a metal alkoxide, the metal-containing gel being located within the polymer and/or chemically bonded to the polymer, wherein the weight ratio of the metal alkoxide to the membrane is between 25% and 1%, the method comprising the steps of: mixing a solution of the polymer-forming hydrocarbon material with the metal alkoxide to form a mixture; applying the mixture onto an intermediate carrier to form a self supporting membrane, the self-supporting membrane having a polymer formed by the hydrocarbon material and a gel formed by hydrolyzation, condensation or hydrolyzation and condensation of the metal alkoxide; and removing the self-supporting membrane from the intermediate carrier; and treating the self-supporting membrane at a temperature between room temperature and 150° C. to develop ion-conducting properties of the self supporting ion-conducting polymer membrane.