Patents by Inventor Daisuke Izuhara

Daisuke Izuhara has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170018793
    Abstract: A polymer electrolyte composition is excellent in practicality which has such an excellent chemical stability as to be able to withstand a strong oxidizing atmosphere during operation of a fuel cell and is capable of achieving excellent proton conductivity under a low-humidified condition and excellent mechanical strength and physical durability as well as a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which use the polymer electrolyte composition. The polymer electrolyte membrane is a polymer electrolyte membrane that contains at least an ionic group-containing polymer electrolyte and a polyazole, which is a polymer electrolyte membrane in which a phase separation of 2 nm or larger in which the polyazole is a main component is not observed in transmission type electron microscopic observation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kunita, Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda
  • Publication number: 20150380759
    Abstract: Provided are an aromatic sulfonic acid derivative and a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer, each of which has excellent proton conductivity even under low humidification conditions, while having excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, and enables a solid polymer fuel cell to achieve high output and excellent physical durability when used therein. This aromatic sulfonic acid derivative has a specific structure and is characterized in that a sulfonic acid group is introduced into more than 50% of all the phenyl groups. This sulfonic acid group-containing polymer is characterized by being obtained by polymerization using the aromatic sulfonic acid derivative, and is also characterized by having a specific structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Daisuke IZUHARA, Hiroaki UMEDA, Emi AMANO, Tomoyuki KUNITA
  • Publication number: 20150295262
    Abstract: The present invention provides: a polymer electrolyte composition which can achieve excellent proton conductivity under slightly humidified conditions, excellent mechanical strength and excellent physical durability, has excellent practicality, and can be produced using a nitrogen-containing additive, wherein the nitrogen-containing additive can prevent the elution of the additive under a strongly acidic atmosphere during the operation of a fuel cell, has excellent chemical stability so as to tolerate a strongly acidic atmosphere, can be dissolved in various general-purpose organic solvents, has superior processability, can be mixed with an ionic-group-containing polymer, can prevent the occurrence of phase separation during the formation of a film, and can prevent the formation of an island-in-sea-like phase separation structure or the occurrence of bleeding out during the formation of a film; and a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, each of which
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kunita, Daisuke Izuhara, Naoki Shimoyama, Yuka Fujieda, Hiroaki Umeda
  • Patent number: 9126908
    Abstract: Provided are an aromatic sulfonic acid derivative and a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer, each of which has excellent proton conductivity even under low humidification conditions, while having excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, and enables a solid polymer fuel cell to achieve high output and excellent physical durability when used therein. This aromatic sulfonic acid derivative has a specific structure and is characterized in that a sulfonic acid group is introduced into more than 50% of all the phenyl groups. This sulfonic acid group-containing polymer is characterized by being obtained by polymerization using the aromatic sulfonic acid derivative, and is also characterized by having a specific structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda, Emi Amano, Tomoyuki Kunita
  • Publication number: 20150200413
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a polymer electrolyte molded article, which comprises forming a polymer electrolyte precursor having a protective group and an ionic group, and deprotecting at least a portion of protective groups contained in the resulting molded article to obtain a polymer electrolyte molded article. According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a polymer electrolyte material and a polymer electrolyte molded article, which are excellent in proton conductivity and are also excellent in fuel barrier properties, mechanical strength, physical durability, resistance to hot water, resistance to hot methanol, processability and chemical stability. A polymer electrolyte fuel cell using a polymer electrolyte membrane, polymer electrolyte parts or a membrane electrode assembly can achieve high output, high energy density and long-term durability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Daisuke IZUHARA, Hiroshi TAIKO, Yuriko OKADA, Shinya ADACHI, Masataka NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20150155582
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a polymer electrolyte material which has excellent proton conductivity even under the conditions of a low humidity or a low temperature and is excellent in mechanical strength and fuel barrier properties, and which moreover can achieve high output, high energy density and long-term durability in forming a polymer electrolyte fuel cell therefrom, and a polymer electrolyte form article using the same and a method for producing the same, a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, each using the same. The present invention employs the following means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Daisuke IZUHARA, Yuriko OKADA
  • Publication number: 20150094446
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer and a sulfonic acid group-containing aromatic compound, which have excellent proton conductivity even under the low humidification condition, are excellent in mechanical strength and chemical stability and, moreover, can attain high output and excellent physical durability when processed into a solid polymer fuel cell, as well as a polymer electrolyte material, a polymer electrolyte molded product and a solid polymer fuel cell respectively using the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Qiao Chen, Fangke Shao, Gang Wu, Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda
  • Patent number: 8986903
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a polymer electrolyte molded article, which comprises forming a polymer electrolyte precursor having a protective group and an ionic group, and deprotecting at least a portion of protective groups contained in the resulting molded article to obtain a polymer electrolyte molded article. According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a polymer electrolyte material and a polymer electrolyte molded article, which are excellent in proton conductivity and are also excellent in fuel barrier properties, mechanical strength, physical durability, resistance to hot water, resistance to hot methanol, processability and chemical stability. A polymer electrolyte fuel cell using a polymer electrolyte membrane, polymer electrolyte parts or a membrane electrode assembly can achieve high output, high energy density and long-term durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroshi Taiko, Yuriko Okada, Shinya Adachi, Masataka Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20140377686
    Abstract: Provided are: a practically excellent polymer electrolyte composition having excellent chemical stability of being resistant to strong oxidizing atmosphere during operation of fuel cell, and achieving excellent proton conductivity under low-humidification conditions, excellent mechanical strength and physical durability; a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell each using the same. The polymer electrolyte composition of the present invention comprises at least an ionic group-containing polymer (A) and a phosphorus-containing additive (B), the phosphorus-containing additive (B) being at least one of a phosphine compound and a phosphinite compound. The polymer electrolyte membrane, the membrane electrode assembly, and the polymer electrolyte fuel cell of the present invention are structured by the polymer electrolyte composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Tomoyuki Kunita, Yuka Yachi
  • Publication number: 20140335440
    Abstract: [Summary] To provide a formed article of polymer electrolyte composition which exhibits excellent proton conductivity even under low-humidification conditions and under low-temperature conditions, which is excellent in chemical stability, mechanical strength, fuel shutoff properties, and which can achieve high output, high energy density, and excellent long-term durability when used in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell; and also to provide a polymer electrolyte fuel cell using thereof. The formed article of polymer electrolyte composition includes: a block copolymer having one or more of each of a hydrophilic segment (A1) containing an ionic group and a hydrophobic segment (A2) not containing an ionic group; and an additive, wherein the formed article forms co-continuous or lamellar phase separation structure, and the additive is hydrophilic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kunita, Daisuke Izuhara, Yuka Yachi
  • Publication number: 20140322628
    Abstract: To provide a polymer electrolyte membrane that has excellent proton conductivity even under low-humidification conditions, has excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, and can achieve high output and excellent physical durability when made into a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The polymer electrolyte membrane includes a block copolymer containing each one or more of: a segment (A1) containing anionic group; and a segment (A2) not containing an ionic group. The polymer electrolyte membrane forms a co-continuous (M1) or lamellar phase-separated (M2) structure, and gives a crystallization heat quantity of 0.1 J/g or larger determined by differential scanning calorimetry, or a degree of crystallinity of 0.5% or larger determined by wide-angle X-ray diffractometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroaki Umeda, Daisuke Izuhara, Emi Amano
  • Publication number: 20140213671
    Abstract: Provided are an aromatic sulfonic acid derivative and a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer, each of which has excellent proton conductivity even under low humidification conditions, while having excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, and enables a solid polymer fuel cell to achieve high output and excellent physical durability when used therein. This aromatic sulfonic acid derivative has a specific structure and is characterized in that a sulfonic acid group is introduced into more than 50% of all the phenyl groups. This sulfonic acid group-containing polymer is characterized by being obtained by polymerization using the aromatic sulfonic acid derivative, and is also characterized by having a specific structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda, Emi Amano, Tomoyuki Kunita
  • Publication number: 20140193742
    Abstract: To provide: a block copolymer that exhibits excellent proton conductivity even under low-humidification conditions, exhibits excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, and when used in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, allows high output and excellent physical durability; a polymer electrolyte material; and a polymer electrolyte form article and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, using the same. The block copolymer of the present invention includes each one or more of: a segment (A1) containing an ionic group; a segment (A2) not containing an ionic group; and a linker moiety connecting the segments. The segment (A1) containing an ionic group comprises a constituent unit represented by a specific structure. The polymer electrolyte material, the polymer electrolyte form article, and the polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to the present invention are manufactured by using the above block copolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroaki Umeda, Emi Amano, Tomoyuki Kunita
  • Patent number: 8455141
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer electrolyte that provides high proton conductivity and low fuel crossover at the same time, as well as a member using the same. The embodiments of the invention can achieve high output and high energy density in the form of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. A polymer electrolyte comprising a proton conductive polymer (A) and a polymer (B) which is different from (A) wherein a ratio of the amount of unfreezable water, represented by formula (S1), in said polymer electrolyte is no less than 40 wt % and no greater than 100 wt % is disclosed. The ratio of amount of unfreezable water (S1)=(amount of unfreezable water)/(amount of low melting point water+amount of unfreezable water)×100 (%).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: TORAY Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Masataka Nakamura, Naoki Shimoyama, Daisuke Izuhara, Shunji Kono, Masayuki Kidai
  • Patent number: 8318894
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods comprising charged polymers. The compositions can be used in a variety of applications, for example, in photovoltaic cells, field-effect transistors, and light emitting diodes. In some embodiments, the backbone of a charged polymer comprises at least one quaternary nitrogen and/or is conjugated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Daisuke Izuhara
  • Patent number: 8278004
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of producing a membrane electrode assembly using an interface resistance reducing composition which can simply reduce the resistance of the interface between an electrode and an electrolyte membrane in a short time at low temperatures at low pressure without polymerization while maintaining an effect of suppressing a fuel crossover even with an electrolyte membrane having high heat resistance, high strength, a high tensile elastic modulus and a low water content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinya Adachi, Daisuke Izuhara, Masataka Nakamura, Naoki Shimoyama, Takao Uete, Masayuki Kidai
  • Publication number: 20120130025
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods comprising charged polymers. The compositions can be used in a variety of applications, for example, in photovoltaic cells, field-effect transistors, and light emitting diodes. In some embodiments, the backbone of a charged polymer comprises at least one quaternary nitrogen and/or is conjugated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Daisuke Izuhara
  • Patent number: 7838164
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of producing a membrane electrode assembly using an interface resistance reducing composition which can simply reduce the resistance of the interface between an electrode and an electrolyte membrane in a short time at low temperatures at low pressure without polimerization while maintaining an effect of suppressing a fuel crossover even with an electrolyte membrane having high heat resistance, high strength, a high tensile elastic modulus and a low water content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinya Adachi, Daisuke Izuhara, Masataka Nakamura, Naoki Shimoyama, Takao Uete, Masayuki Kidai
  • Publication number: 20100291460
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of producing a membrane electrode assembly using an interface resistance reducing composition which can simply reduce the resistance of the interface between an electrode and an electrolyte membrane in a short time at low temperatures at low pressure without polimerization while maintaining an effect of suppressing a fuel crossover even with an electrolyte membrane having high heat resistance, high strength, a high tensile elastic modulus and a low water content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: SHINYA ADACHI, Daisuke Izuhara, Masataka Nakamura, Naoki Shimoyama, Takao Uete, Masayuki Kidai
  • Publication number: 20100196782
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a polymer electrolyte material which has excellent proton conductivity even under the conditions of a low humidity or a low temperature and is excellent in mechanical strength and fuel barrier properties, and which moreover can achieve high output, high energy density and long-term durability in forming a polymer electrolyte fuel cell therefrom, and a polymer electrolyte form article using the same and a method for producing the same, a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, each using the same. The present invention employs the following means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Yuriko Okada