Abstract: A method is provided for making a gasketed fuel cell MEA comprising the steps of: selecting an FTL sheet material; selecting a target level of compression C % for use of said FTL sheet material in a fuel cell MEA; measuring die pressure Pt for which the FTL sheet material achieves compression of Ct %; positioning between the platens of a press an MEA comprising: a PEM; an anode catalyst material; a cathode catalyst material; an anode-side FTL comprising the selected FTL sheet material; and a cathode-side FTL comprising the selected FTL sheet material; depositing a gasket material in the outer edge portions of the anode and cathode faces of the PEM; compressing the MEA to a pressing pressure Pp which is between 90% and 110% of Pt; and substantially fixing the gasket material so as to form a gasketed fuel cell MEA.

Abstract: The present invention is a fluoropolymer comprising a plurality of pendent groups terminating in —CF2SO3X, —CF2SO2F, or combinations thereof, where X is selected from a group consisting of H+ and a monovalent cation, and at least one —CF2Y end group, where Y is selected from a group consisting of a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, an iodine atom, a nitrile group, and an —SO3X group.

Abstract: A method of making a crosslinked polymer is provided as well as the polymer so made, the method comprising the steps of: providing a highly fluorinated fluoropolymer, typically a perfluorinated fluoropolymer, comprising pendent groups which include a group according to the formula —SO2X, where X is F, Cl, Br, OH, or —O?M+, where M+ is a monovalent cation, and exposing said fluoropolymer to electron beam radiation so as to result in the formation of crosslinks. Typically, the method according to the present invention additionally comprises the step of: forming said fluoropolymer into a membrane, typically having a thickness of 90 microns or less, more typically 60 microns or less, and most typically 30 microns or less.

Abstract: A vacuum conveyor is provided comprising an endless perforated belt which extends over a first vacuum plate and a second vacuum plate, which vacuum plates may be maintained at different air pressures and may be situated at different angles relative to horizontal. An apparatus for cutting and transporting sheet materials is provided comprising the vacuum conveyor according to the present invention and a rotary die cutter situated such that an emerging portion of a cut workpiece can become held by the vacuum conveyor before it is fully separated, enabling pattern-cut sheet materials to be cut and transported to a destination such as a laminating nip with accurate registration.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a crosslinked polymer by direct fluorination of a non-perfluorinated polymer comprising first pendent groups which comprise sulfonyl halide groups or by direct fluorination of a polymer mixture of a first polymer which is a non-perfluorinated polymer and a second polymer which comprises first pendent groups which comprise sulfonyl halide groups. Such crosslinked polymers or polymer mixtures may be used to make polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM's) that may be used in electrolytic cells such as fuel cells and which should demonstrate increased durability in fuel cell use.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack is provided comprising fuel cell modules least compression plates; and at least one plurality of mechanical linkages connecting a pair of compression plates located on either side of at least one fuel cell module, which may be engaged to maintain a predetermined gap distance between the pair of compression plates. The present invention additionally provides a fuel cell stack comprising: fuel cell modules stacked alternately with compression plates; mechanical linkages connecting a first pair of compression plates directly adjacent to a first fuel cell module; mechanical linkages connecting a second pair of compression plates directly adjacent to a second fuel cell module; where a) the first and second fuel cell modules may be maintained under compression, and b) the compression on each fuel cell module may be adjusted essentially independently of the compression on the other.

Abstract: Methods are provided to make acid functional fluoropolymers by: a) dehydrofluorinating a starting fluoropolymer with a dehydrofluorinating agent to form an unsaturated fluoropolymer; b) adding an acidifiable nucleophilic functionalizing agent to a double bond of the unsaturated fluoropolymer; and c) acidifying the added acidifiable function. Acid functional fluoropolymers and ion conducting membranes thereof are also provided, including acid functional fluoropolymer having pendent groups according to the formula: —X—Ar—An, wherein X is selected from O, S or NR, where R is selected from H and C1–C30 alkyl or aryl, which are optionally substituted, wherein Ar is a C6–C30 aromatic group, which is optionally substituted, wherein A is an acidic function or salt thereof, wherein a can be independently chosen to be 1, 2 or 3.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a hydrophilic carbon fiber construction, such as a fuel cell gas diffusion layer or diffuser/current collector, by electrophoretic deposition of a metal oxide selected from Type I or Type II, where Type I consists of metal oxides having a negative zeta potential and Type II consists of metal oxides having a positive zeta potential. A hydrophilic carbon fiber construction is provided, such as a fuel cell gas diffusion layer or diffuser/current collector, which is coated with a metal oxide and capable of wicking 200 mg of water per 40 mg of the hydrophilic carbon fiber construction.

Abstract: A layered construction is provided comprising an InP substrate and alternating layers of II-VI and III-V materials. The alternating layers of II-VI and III-V materials are typically lattice-matched or pseudomorphic to the InP substrate. Typically the II-VI material is selected from the group consisting of ZnSe, CdSe, BeSe, MgSe, ZnTe, CdTe, BeTe, MgTe, ZnS, CdS, BeS, MgS and alloys thereof, more typically selected from the group consisting of CdZnSe, CdMgZnSe, BeZnTe, and BeMgZnTe alloys, and is most typically CdxZn1-xSe where x is between 0.44 and 0.54. Typically the III-V material is selected from the group consisting of InAs, AlAs, GaAs, InP, AlP, GaP, InSb, AlSb, GaSb, and alloys thereof, more typically selected from the group consisting of InP, InAlAs, GaInAs, AlInGaAs and GaInAsP alloys, and is most typically InP or InyAl1-yAs where y is between 0.44 and 0.52. In one embodiment, the layered construction forms one or more distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR's).

Abstract: A method is provided for obtaining crosslinked polymers, particularly fluorinated polymers having pendent sulfonic acid groups, by crosslinking through pendent groups which include a sulfonyl chloride group (—SO2Cl). The sulfonyl chloride group may be removed by application of electromagnetic radiation, typically in the ultraviolet band, or a radical initiator, leaving behind a radical which readily binds covalently to other polymer strands or to crosslinking agents to form crosslinks. Typically, the polymer is made by providing a polymer comprising pendent groups which include a group according to the formula —SO2F and converting at least a portion of the —SO2F groups to —SO2Cl. After crosslinking, the remaining —SO2F groups may be converted to sulfonic acid groups, yielding a crosslinked polymer electrolyte. Such crosslinked polymer electrolytes may be used to make polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM's) that may be used in electrolytic cells such as fuel cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gasketed fuel cell membrane electrode assembly comprising: a polymer electrolyte membrane; layers of anode and cathode catalyst; anode-side and cathode-side fluid transport layer; and anode-side and cathode-side gaskets; where the gaskets comprise an elastomeric gasket material which is impregnated into the outer edge portions of the respective fluid transport layer; and where at least a portion of the contact face of each gasket bears a raised-ridge microstructured contact pattern. The gasketed fuel cell membrane electrode assembly according to the present invention may additionally comprise a rigid, non-elastomeric anode-side and cathode-side shims positioned between at least a portion of the gasket and the polymer electrolyte membrane. The raised-ridge microstructured contact pattern preferably comprises ridges which meet at joining points, wherein no more than three ridges meet at any one joining point.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a crosslinked polymer electrolyte, typically in the form of a membrane for use as a polymer electrolyte membrane in an electrolytic cell such as a fuel cell, by trimerization of nitrile groups contained on groups pendant from the polymer. The resulting polymer electrolyte membrane comprises a highly fluorinated polymer comprising: a perfluorinated backbone, first pendent groups which comprise sulfonic acid groups, and crosslinks comprising trivalent groups according to the formula: The first pendent groups are typically according to the formula: —R1—SO3H, where R1 is a branched or unbranched perfluoroalkyl or perfluoroether group comprising 1–15 carbon atoms and 0–4 oxygen atoms, most typically —O—CF2—CF2—CF2—CF2—SO3H or —O—CF2—CF(CF3)—O—CF2—CF2—SO3H.

Abstract: A method is provided for aqueous emulsion co-polymerization of two or more fluoromonomers comprising the steps of: 1) forming an aqueous pre-emulsion by mixing a fluoromonomer according to formula I: F2C?CF—R1—SO2X??(I) wherein R1 is a branched or unbranched perfluoroalkyl, perfluoroalkoxy or perfluoroether group comprising 1–15 carbon atoms and 0–4 oxygen atoms and wherein X is F, Cl or Br, together with 0.001–0.9 molar equivalents of a base, in the absence of added emulsifier; and 2) reacting the pre-emulsion with one or more perfluorinated comonomers in the absence of added emulsifier so as to form a fluoropolymer latex comprising a fluoropolymer wherein more than 1 mol % of monomer units are derived from the fluoromonomer according to formula I. In another aspect, the present invention provides a fluoropolymer derived from the fluoropolymer latex made according to the method of the present invention which is free of added emulsifier.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a crosslinked polymer electrolyte, typically in the form of a membrane for use as a polymer electrolyte membrane in an electrolytic cell such as a fuel cell, as well as the polymer so made, the method comprising application of ultraviolet radiation to a highly fluorinated fluoropolymer comprising: a backbone derived in part from tetrafluoro-ethylene monomer, first pendent groups which include a group according to the formula —SO2X, where X is F, Cl, Br, OH or —O?M+, where M+ is a monovalent cation, and second pendent groups which include Br, Cl or I. Typically, the membrane has a thickness of 90 microns or less, more typically 60 or less, and most typically 30 microns or less.

Abstract: A method is provided for obtaining crosslinked polymers having pendent sulfonic acid groups by crosslinking through the sulfonic acid groups or their precursors with aromatic crosslinkers or aromatic pendent crosslinking groups to form aromatic sulfones. Such crosslinked polymers may be used to make polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM's) that may be used in electrolytic cells such as fuel cells.

Abstract: An enhanced resolution scanned image of an object is produced by a scanning laser microscope which includes an illumination arm for scanning an object with a focused probe beam and a detection arm for receiving light from the object. The detection arm includes a detector which collects and detects light from the object to produce pixel data for a plurality of pixels. In addition, the detection arm includes a wavefront sensor for sensing phase variations of the light from the object to produce wavefront data for scanned pixel locations. From the wavefront shape of the collected light at each pixel location, a high frequency spectrum is determined which corresponds to uncollected scattered light from small scale features of that pixel location. An enhanced resolution image of a region of interest is produced based on the high frequency spectra of the scanned pixel locations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for peeling a thin film, typically 100 microns or less in thickness, from a liner by use of a rotatable peel rod supported in an air bearing. The air bearing comprises a support plate having arcuate surfaces which are substantially coaxial with a cylindrical film-bearing segment of the peel rod. Air openings in the arcuate surfaces conduct a flow of air into an air bearing gap between the arcuate surfaces and the peel rod.

Abstract: A pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprised of: a) 75 to 99.9 weight percent of a tackified thermoplastic polymer component comprising 1) 1–99 weight percent of a thermoplastic polymer substantially without epoxy-binding or ester functions, and 2) 1–99 weight percent of a tackifier; and b) 0.1 to 25 weight percent of an epoxy component comprising a cured epoxy and non-woven webs made of this adhesive composition.

Abstract: A unitized fuel cell assembly includes a first flow field plate, a second flow field plate, and a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) provided between the first and second flow field plates. A hard stop arrangement, in one configuration, is provided between the first and second flow field plates. The hard stop arrangement is dimensioned to limit compressive forces imparted to the MEA upon establishment of contact between the first and second flow field plates under pressure. A sealing arrangement is provided between the first and second flow field plates and peripheral to the MEA. The unitized fuel cell assembly is configured as a stand-alone fuel cell unit that can be used alone or in a stack of fuel cell units.

Abstract: A method is provided for making an edge-sealed fuel cell membrane electrode assembly comprising the steps of: i) providing a suitable membrane electrode assembly lay-up; ii) positioning a suitable annular layer of a thermoplastic; and iii) applying pressure and heat sufficient to melt impregnate the thermoplastic into the fluid transport layer or layers of the membrane electrode assembly lay-up and simultaneously bond the fluid transport layer or layers to the polymer electrolyte membrane of the membrane electrode assembly lay-up. The polymer electrolyte membrane of the membrane electrode assembly lay-up may be perforated in its outer sealing area. Membrane electrode assemblies made according to the method of the present invention are also provided.