Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane-electrode assembly including a proton conductive membrane having superior workability is provided. The membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells includes an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a proton conductive membrane, the anode electrode and the cathode electrode being disposed on opposite sides of the proton conductive membrane, in which the proton conductive membrane includes a polyarylene having the constitutional unit (S) expressed by the general formula (2-2) described below and the constitutional unit (T) expressed by the general formula (2-3) described below; the ratio s of the unit (S) in the polyarylene is 50 to 95 mole %, and the ratio t of the unit (T) is 5 to 50 mole % in the polyarylene, where s+t=100 mole %.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrode structure for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, inexpensive, and exhibiting excellent power production capacity and durability even under high temperature/low humidity conditions, and also provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which incorporates the same electrode structure. The present invention also provides an electrical device and transportation device, each incorporating the same polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The electrode structure comprises a pair of electrode catalyst layers 1,1, each containing a catalyst supported by carbon particles, and polymer electrolyte membrane 2 placed between these electrode catalyst layers 1,1. The polymer electrolyte membrane 2 is of a sulfonated polyarylene composed of 0.5 to 100% by mol of the first repeating unit represented by the general formula (1) and 0 to 99.

Abstract: This invention provides an electrode electrolyte for a solid polymer-type fuel cell, in which a cost problem and a problem related to recovery of catalyst metals are solved, having excellent proton conductivity, dimensional stability and heat resistance. An electrode electrolyte for a solid polymer electrolyte-type fuel cell contains a polymer, which has a polyphenylene structure as a main chain and both a sulfonic acid group and a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group as a side chain. A side chain having the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group has a structure represented by the following general formula (D). (In formula, Z represents at least one kind of structures selected from a group consisting of a direct bond, —O— and —S—, Y represents at least one kind of structures selected from a group consisting of —CO—, —SO2—, —SO—, —CONH—, —COO—, —(CF2)1— (1 is an integer of 1 to 10) and —C(CF3)2— and R20 represents a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group.

Abstract: An electrode structure having a pair of electrode catalyst layers and a polymer electrolyte membrane held between both the electrode catalyst layers is provided. The polymer electrolyte membrane is a sulfonate of a hydrocarbon-based polymer comprising a main chain in which two or more benzene rings are bound together directly or through a divalent group. The membrane includes 5% or more by weight of water coordinated to protons of sulfonic acid groups. The polymer electrolyte membrane may include a fluorine-containing ion conducting polymer such that the ratio of fluorine content in the polymer electrolyte membrane to the fluorine content in the electrode catalyst layers is in the range of from 0.2 to 2.0. The electrode structure constitutes a fuel cell, which generates power when oxidizing gas is supplied to the one side of the electrode structure and reducing gas to the other side.

Abstract: The present invention provides a proton conductive membrane having capabilities of self-generating water and maintaining water, excellent ion conductivity and excellent effect of inhibiting crossover and usable for solid polymer electrolyte type fuel cells and also provides a proton conductive composition used for preparing the proton conductive membrane. The proton conductive composition comprises 100 parts by weight of a polyarylene having a sulfonic group and 0.01 to 80 parts by weight of at least one metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, palladium, rhodium, iridium and ruthenium, or comprises 100 parts by weight of a polyarylene having a sulfonic group, 0.01 to 80 parts by weight of the metal catalyst, and 0.01 to 50 parts by weight of metal oxide fine particles and/or fibers in total.

Abstract: An electrode structure for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprises a pair of electrode catalyst layers and a polymer electrolyte membrane held between the electrode catalyst layers. The polymer electrolyte membrane is a sulfonation product of a polymer which comprises a main chain wherein two or more divalent aromatic residues are bound to one another directly or through oxy groups or divalent groups other than aromatic residues and side chains comprising aromatic groups to be sulfonated. The number of divalent aromatic residues comprised in the main chain of the above polymer is denoted by X, and the number of oxy groups comprised in the main chain of the above polymer is denoted by Y, and the value X/Y is within the range of from 2.0 to 9.0.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, which can impart high electrical properties by increasing the introduction amount of the sulfonic acid group, has excellent swell suppression effect even under the humidified condition of high-temperature, and which has excellent electrical properties even under the condition of high-temperature and low-humidity. By using sulfonated polyarylene having specific constitutional units as a proton conductive membrane, a membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells can be provided which has excellent swell suppression effect even under the humidified condition of high-temperature, and which has excellent proton conductivity even under the condition of high-temperature and low-humidity.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell that exhibits superior dimensional stability to high temperature of hot water generated on power generation, and that has both excellent power generation performance and durability in a low temperature environment is provided. According to the membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which a polyarylene-based copolymer having a specific repeating constitutional unit is used as a proton conductive membrane, the membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell that exhibits superior dimensional stability to high temperature of hot water generated on power generation, and that has both excellent power generation performance and durability in a low temperature environment can be provided.

Abstract: A solid polymer electrolyte includes a polymer having a sulfonic group and shows high proton conductivity in a wide range of temperatures and humidities and is excellent in hot water resistance and chemical stability. A proton conductive membrane is composed of the electrolyte. The polymer electrolyte includes a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following formula (1a) or (1b): wherein A is a divalent electron-withdrawing group, B is a divalent electron-donating group or a direct bond, Ar is an aromatic group, Z is an oxygen or a sulfur atom, X is a hydrogen or a fluorine atom, j is an integer of 1 or greater, k is an integer of from 1 to 4, l is an integer of from 0 to 10, m is an integer of from 1 to 10, and n is an integer of from 1 to 8.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell having excellent hot water resistance, oxidation resistance and low temperature size stability and exhibiting excellent power generation performance even under low temperature environment.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane-electrode assembly including a proton conductive membrane having superior workability is provided. The membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells includes an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a proton conductive membrane, the anode electrode and the cathode electrode being disposed on opposite sides of the proton conductive membrane, in which the proton conductive membrane includes a polyarylene having the constitutional unit (S) expressed by the general formula (2-2) described below and the constitutional unit (T) expressed by the general formula (2-3) described below; the ratio s of the unit (S) in the polyarylene is 50 to 95 mole %, and the ratio t of the unit (T) is 5 to 50 mole % in the polyarylene, where s+t=100 mole %.

Abstract: There is provided an electrode structure for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having excellent power generation performance and excellent durability and a method for manufacturing the same. Also provided is a polymer electrolyte fuel cell including the electrode structure and an electrical apparatus and a transport apparatus using the polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The electrode structure includes a polymer electrolyte membrane 2 sandwiched between a pair of electrode catalyst layers 1, 1 containing carbon particles supporting catalyst particles. The polymer electrolyte membrane 2 is made of a sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer. The sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer has an ion exchange capacity in the range of 1.7 to 2.3 meq/g, and the polymer contains a component insoluble in N-methylpyrrolidone in an amount of 70% or less relative to the total amount of the polymer, after the polymer is subjected to heat treatment for exposing it under a constant temperature atmosphere of 12° C. for 200 hours.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells is provided which has a solid polymer electrolyte membrane having a high concentration of protonic acid groups enabling high proton conductivity and high humid condition, along with superior dimensional stability, without the membrane-electrode assembly dissolving in hot water. The membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells was formed by using a polymer electrolyte composition consisting of a polymer having a cross-linking structure, this polymer electrolyte composition being obtained from a mixed solution that includes a polymer electrolyte containing a protonic acid group, a compound containing plurality of ethylenic unsaturated groups, and a solvent.

Abstract: Disclosed are a polymer electrolyte having improved hot water resistance and radical resistance, a proton conductive membrane comprising the polymer electrolyte, and a membrane-electrode assembly including the proton conductive membrane. The polymer electrolyte comprises at least one polymer selected from polyether, polyketone, polyetherketone, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyimide, polyetherimide, polybenzimidazole, polybenzothiazole, polybenzoxazole and the like. The polymer comprises a repeating structural unit with either or both of an aromatic ring and a heterocyclic ring, and a repeating structural unit represented by the formula (1): wherein X is a single bond, an electron-withdrawing group or an electron-donating group; R is a single bond, —(CH2)q— or —(CF2)q— where q ranges from 1 to 10; m is from 0 to 10; k is from 0 to 5; l is from 0 to 4; and k+1?1.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, which is inexpensive and has an excellent efficiency of generating electric power, by using a material alternative to a perfluoroalkylene sulfonic acid polymer. The polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprises a pair of electrodes (2, 3) consisting of an oxygen electrode (2) and a fuel electrode (3) both having a catalyst layer (5) containing a catalyst and an ion conducting material; and a polymer electrolyte membrane (1) sandwiched between the two catalyst layers (5) of the both electrodes (2, 3). The above ion conducting material contained in the above polymer electrolyte membrane (1) or in the catalyst (5) layer of at least one of the above electrodes (2, 3) comprises a sulfonated polyarylene having sulfonic acid side-chain groups.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode structure for a solid polymer fuel cell excellent in power generation performance and durability and a solid polymer fuel cell comprising the membrane-electrode structure are provided. In the membrane-electrode structure for a solid polymer fuel cell in which the polymer electrolyte membrane 2 is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes 1 containing a catalyst, the polymer electrolyte membrane 1 comprises a constituent unit (A) which has an ion conductive moiety consisting of a sulfonic acid group and is represented by the following general formula (I) and a constituent unit (B) consisting only of a non-ion conductive moiety which has a number average molecular weight in the range of 1,000 to 12,000 measured by gel permeation chromatography and is represented by the following general formula (II). The above-mentioned copolymer is a block copolymer in which the constituent unit (A) and the constituent unit (B) are covalently bonded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a membrane electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, which has superior hot water resistance, superior mechanical properties, superior power generating performance, and higher proton conductivity, even when a large number of sulfonic acid groups are introduced. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane has constitutional units expressed by the general formulas (1) and (2).

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells exhibits higher proton conductivity and superior thermal resistance, in which the solid polymer electrolyte membrane has a nitrogen atom and a sulfonic acid group, and a principal chain of a constitutional unit is a phenylene bond, is provided. In particular, the membrane electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells preferably contains the sulfonated polyarylene expressed by the formula (1).

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, in which a sulfonic acid is an ion exchange group, and the heat resistance is superior, is provided. The membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells contains a polymer including a principal chain that forms polyphenylene structure, a branched chain having a sulfonic acid group, and a branched chain having a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group. It is preferred that a branched chain having a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group is a structure expressed by the general formula (D) below.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells is provided that exhibits higher proton conductivity and superior thermal resistance. A polyarylene having a sulfonic acid group and a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic aromatic compound are included in a solid polymer electrolyte membrane that constitutes the membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Preferably, the polyarylene having sulfonic acid group contains a repeating unit expressed by the general formula (A) and a repeating unit expressed by the general formula (B) shown below.