Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly having superior hot water resistance has a membrane containing an aromatic polymer having a repeating unit expressed by general formula (1): in which A represents independently either —CO— or —SO2—; B represents independently an oxygen atom or sulfur atom; R1 to R8, which may be identical or different from each other, represent a hydrogen atom, fluorine atom, alkyl group, phenyl group or nitrile group; R9 to R24, which may be identical or different from each other, represent a hydrogen atom, alkyl group or phenyl group; and ‘a’ represents an integer of 0 to 4.

Abstract: Membrane-electrode assemblies are provided having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane that exhibits higher proton conductivity over a wide temperature range, and exhibits superior hot water resistance, chemical stability, toughness and mechanical strength. The membrane-electrode assemblies utilized for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells include an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, the anode electrode and the cathode electrode disposed on opposite sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane contains a polyarylene copolymer with a specific constitutional unit having a fluorine atom and nitrile group introduced in their principal chains.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a process for producing an electrolyte membrane-bonded electrode having excellent power generation property when constitutes an electrode assembly, and a varnish composition for an electrolyte, by the use of which an electrolyte membrane-electrode bonded structure capable of retaining excellent power generation property is obtained. A process for producing a first electrolyte membrane-bonded electrode comprises applying, onto an electrode, a water-containing dispersion containing a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer, an organic solvent A and water and having a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer content of 0.5 to 20% by weight and then applying, onto the resulting film, a solution of sulfonated polyarylene in an organic solvent B, to form an electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polymer electrolyte having a protonic acid group that is excellent in thermal stability and dimensional stability. The polymer electrolyte includes copolymers having a sulfonic acid group which has a structure represented by the following formula: wherein X is a divalent electron-withdrawing group; Y is an oxygen or a sulfur; Z and Q are each a direct bond, —O—, —S—, —CO—, —SO2—, —[C(R?)2]g— (g: integer of from 1 to 8), etc.; R, R? and R1 to R16 are each a hydrogen, a fluorine, an alkyl, a fluorine-substituted alkyl, an aryl or a nitrile; m, n, p, q, r, s, t and u are each an integer of from 0 to 4 (with the proviso that p+q?1); and A is a group represented by Formula (5a) or (5b) below: wherein W is a divalent electron-withdrawing group; S is a protonic acid group; i is an integer of from 1 to 5; and j is an integer of from 1 to 7.

Abstract: The present invention provides a membrane-electrode assembly excellent in electric power generation performance and durability for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell and a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell formed therefrom. The membrane-electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell has a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1 sandwiched between a pair of electrodes 2 and 2 each containing a catalyst. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1 is formed of a polyarylene polymer including a repeating unit represented by the general formula (1), or a polyarylene copolymer including the repeating unit represented by the general formula (1) and a repeating unit represented by the general formula (2). The solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes the membrane-electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly having excellent electric power generating capability is produced from a base coated with first polymer electrolytic solution to form an undried first polymer electrolytic membrane. Undried first polymer electrolytic membrane is coated with first electrode dispersion of second polymer electrolytic solution and catalyst carried on a catalyst carrier and dissolved therein. First electrode dispersion is dried to form a first electrode positive-electrode membrane electrode assembly. Another base, coated with third polymer electrolytic solution, forms undried second polymer electrolytic membrane. Undried second polymer electrolytic membrane is coated with a second electrode dispersion of fourth polymer electrolytic solution and a catalyst carried on a catalyst carrier and dissolved therein. Second electrode dispersion is dried forming a second electrode negative-electrode membrane electrode assembly.

Abstract: Described herein is a production method of sulfonated polyarylene that is safe and enables easy control of the amount and position of sulfonic groups introduced in the polymer. The sulfonated polyarylene is also disclosed. The invention further provides a polyarylene and an aromatic sulfonate derivative that are suitably employed in the above production method. Also provided are a macromolecular solid electrolyte that comprises the sulfonated polyarylene, and a proton conductive membrane. The aromatic sulfonate derivative has the following formula (1): wherein X is a halogen atom other than fluorine, a —OSO3CH3 group or a —OSO3CF3 group; Y is a divalent organic group; A is —(CH2)m— or —(CF2)m— (wherein m is an integer of 1 to 10); and R is a C4-20 hydrocarbon group. The production method of sulfonated polyarylene comprises coupling polymerization of an aromatic compound that includes at least the aromatic sulfonate derivative of the formula (1) and hydrolysis of the resultant polyarylene.

Abstract: The present invention provides a membrane-electrode assembly for fuel cell which comprises a solid polymer electrolyte membrane comprising a specific polyarylene having a sulfonic acid group and has excellent creep resistance, power generation performance and durability against power generation under high-temperature environment.

Abstract: To provide a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer having improved hot water resistance and radical resistance (durability), a solid polymer electrolyte including the polymer, and a proton-conducting membrane including the electrolyte, the polymer electrolyte includes a sulfonated product of a polymer shown by the following general formula (I): wherein X, Y, and Z are bonded randomly, alternately, or in blocks, y represents an integer of two or more, and each of x and z represents an integer of zero or more, where x+z>2.

Abstract: The invention provides a proton conductive membrane excellent in heat resistance, which has sulfonic acid as ion exchange groups. The proton conductive membrane comprises a nitrogen-containing compound that can be mixed with water in arbitrary proportions and has a boiling point of not lower than 100. degree. C. and a proton conductive resin which has sulfonic acid ion-exchange groups, wherein the nitrogen-containing compound is contained in an amount of 0.5 to 10 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the proton conductive resin.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane obtained by subjecting a sulfonated polyarylene membrane having an initial water content of 80-300 weight % to a hot-water treatment. A composite polymer electrolyte membrane comprising a matrix made of a first sulfonated aromatic polymer having a high ion exchange capacity, and a reinforcing material constituted by a second sulfonated aromatic polymer having a low ion exchange capacity in the form of fibers or a porous membrane.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane obtained by subjecting a sulfonated polyarylene membrane having an initial water content of 80-300 weight % to a hot-water treatment. A composite polymer electrolyte membrane comprising a matrix made of a first sulfonated aromatic polymer having a high ion exchange capacity, and a reinforcing material constituted by a second sulfonated aromatic polymer having a low ion exchange capacity in the form of fibers or a porous membrane.

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 polymer electrolyte fuel cell has superior power generation characteristics under low humidity conditions and superior starting characteristics under low temperature conditions. In the membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which a polymer electrolyte membrane is disposed between a pair of electrodes containing a catalyst, the polymer electrolyte membrane has a polymer segment A having an ion conductive component and a polymer segment B not having an ion conductive component. Furthermore, in the case in which the polymer electrolyte membrane is immersed in water at 90° C. for 30 minutes, absorbed water which exhibits a thawing temperature of from ?30 to 0° C. is in a range from 0.01 to 3.0 g per 1 g of the polymer.

Abstract: A composite polymer electrolyte membrane is formed from a first polymer electrolyte comprising a sulfonated polyarytene polymer and a second polymer electrolyte comprising another hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte. In the first polymer electrolyte, 2-70 mol % constitutes an aromatic compound unit with an electron-attractive group in its principal chain, while 30-98 mol % constitutes an aromatic compound unit without an electron-attractive group in its principal chain. The second polymer electrolyte is a sulfonated polyether or sulfonated polysulfide polymer electrolyte.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane obtained by subjecting a sulfonated polyarylene membrane having an initial water content of 80-300 weight % to a hot-water treatment. A composite polymer electrolyte membrane comprising a matrix made of a first sulfonated aromatic polymer having a high ion exchange capacity, and a reinforcing material constituted by a second sulfonated aromatic polymer having a low ion exchange capacity in the form of fibers or a porous membrane.

Abstract: The invention provides a proton conductive membrane which, even when reduced in thickness, does not allow penetration of an electrode to prevent a short circuit between electrodes and which permits sufficient generating performance. A proton conductive composition capable of forming the membrane is also provided. The proton conductive composition includes a nonconductive filler and a polyarylene having a sulfonic group. The proton conductive membrane, comprising the composition, contains the nonconductive filler in an amount of 3 to 50% by volume, and the nonconductive filler particles have diameters ranging from 3 to 90% the thickness of the membrane.

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: A proton conductive membrane exhibiting superior proton conductivity even at high temperatures of 100° C. or above, and a proton conductive composition capable of forming the membrane are provided. The invention also provides a proton conductive membrane showing excellent proton conductivity even if it does not have an increased amount of the sulfonic groups introduced therein, and a proton conductive composition capable of forming the membrane. The proton conductive composition includes (a) at least one compound selected from a metal oxide hydrate, a phyllosilicate and a hygroscopic inorganic porous compound, and (b) a polyarylene having a sulfonic group.

Abstract: A solid polymer fuel cell (1) has an electrolyte membrane (2), and an air electrode (3) and a fuel electrode (4) that closely contact to opposite sides of the electrolyte membrane (2) respectively. The electrolyte membrane (2) has a membrane core (9) comprising a polymer ion-exchange component, and a plurality of phyllosilicate particles (10) that disperse in the membrane core (9) and are subjected to ion-exchange processing between metal ions and protons, and proton conductance Pc satisfies Pc>0.05 S/cm. Owing to this, it is possible to provide the solid polymer fuel cell equipped with the electrolyte membrane (2) that has excellent high-temperature strength and can improve power-generating performance.