Abstract: A fuel cell power module includes a cylindrical housing encasing a fuel cell stack and an air supply. The housing has a major interior surface. The fuel cell stack can be cylindrical or hexagonal, and comprises fuel cells having an anode and an anode flow field plate, a cathode and a cathode flow field plate, and a membrane electrolyte interposed between the anode and the cathode. The air supply is directed to the plurality of fuel cell cathode flow field plates via a plenum defined by a space between the fuel cell stack and the housing major interior surface. The hexagonal fuel cell stack can be formed by a plurality of fuel cell groups shaped such that when aligned the fuel cell groups together constitute the hexagonal fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A fuel cell power module includes a cylindrical housing encasing a fuel cell stack and an air supply. The housing has a major interior surface. The fuel cell stack can be cylindrical or hexagonal, and comprises fuel cells having an anode and an anode flow field plate, a cathode and a cathode flow field plate, and a membrane electrolyte interposed between the anode and the cathode. The air supply is directed to the plurality of fuel cell cathode flow field plates via a plenum defined by a space between the fuel cell stack and the housing major interior surface. The hexagonal fuel cell stack can be formed by a plurality of fuel cell groups shaped such that when aligned the fuel cell groups together constitute the hexagonal fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A fuel cell power module includes a cylindrical housing encasing a fuel cell stack and an air supply. The housing has a major interior surface. The fuel cell stack can be cylindrical or hexagonal, and comprises fuel cells having an anode and an anode flow field plate, a cathode and a cathode flow field plate, and a membrane electrolyte interposed between the anode and the cathode. The air supply is directed to the plurality of fuel cell cathode flow field plates via a plenum defined by a space between the fuel cell stack and the housing major interior surface. The hexagonal fuel cell stack can be formed by a plurality of fuel cell groups shaped such that when aligned the fuel cell groups together constitute the hexagonal fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A fuel cell power module includes a cylindrical housing encasing a fuel cell stack and an air supply. The housing has a major interior surface. The fuel cell stack can be cylindrical or hexagonal, and comprises fuel cells having an anode and an anode flow field plate, a cathode and a cathode flow field plate, and a membrane electrolyte interposed between the anode and the cathode. The air supply is directed to the plurality of fuel cell cathode flow field plates via a plenum defined by a space between the fuel cell stack and the housing major interior surface. The hexagonal fuel cell stack can be formed by a plurality of fuel cell groups shaped such that when aligned the fuel cell groups together constitute the hexagonal fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A filtration device for a fuel cell system is provided. The filtration device includes a filter adapted to receive a reactant for a fuel cell. The filter includes a molecular sieve material adapted to separate a contaminant from the reactant supplied to the fuel cell. A membrane electrode assembly having the filter integrally formed therewith, and a fuel cell stack having the filter disposed adjacent at least one of the end plates of the fuel cell stack, are also provided.

Abstract: A fuel cell power module includes a cylindrical housing encasing a fuel cell stack and an air supply. The housing has a major interior surface. The fuel cell stack can be cylindrical or hexagonal, and comprises fuel cells having an anode and an anode flow field plate, a cathode and a cathode flow field plate, and a membrane electrolyte interposed between the anode and the cathode. The air supply is directed to the plurality of fuel cell cathode flow field plates via a plenum defined by a space between the fuel cell stack and the housing major interior surface. The hexagonal fuel cell stack can be formed by a plurality of fuel cell groups shaped such that when aligned the fuel cell groups together constitute the hexagonal fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A filtration device for a fuel cell system is provided. The filtration device includes a filter adapted to receive a reactant for a fuel cell. The filter includes a molecular sieve material adapted to separate a contaminant from the reactant supplied to the fuel cell. A membrane electrode assembly having the filter integrally formed therewith, and a fuel cell stack having the filter disposed adjacent at least one of the end plates of the fuel cell stack, are also provided.

Abstract: A water insoluble additive for improving the performance of an ion-exchange membrane, such as in the context of the high temperature operation of electrochemical fuel cells. The insoluble additive comprises a metal oxide cross-linked matrix having proton conducting groups covalently attached to the matrix through linkers. In one embodiment, the metal is silicon and the cross-linked matrix is a siloxane cross-linked matrix containing silicon atoms cross-linked by multiple disiloxy bonds and having proton conducting groups covalently attached to the silicon atoms through alkanediyl linkers.

Abstract: The invention provides a fuel cell metallic separator, wherein the metallic plate's edges include a resin portion comprising the communication ports. The resin portion around the communication ports is shaped so as to be capable of interlocking with a fuel cell stack component adjacently located in a fuel cell system. The invention also provides a resin portion capable of press fitting or thermal bonding with adjacent a fuel cell stack components.

Abstract: Contamination of the ion-exchange membrane in an electrochemical fuel cell can significantly reduce its lifetime. One source of contamination is from sealant materials, more specifically volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Pursuant to the invention, an assembled membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is heated at a temperature of about 200° C. for about 2 hours. This removes a high percentage of VOCs present in the assembled MEA, more specifically present in the seals.

Abstract: A process for preparing a graft copolymers is provided comprising exposing a polymeric base material to a dose of ionizing radiation, and then contacting the irradiated base material with a microemulsion comprising at least one fluorostyrenic monomer, water and water-miscible solvent. The graft copolymer may be formed into a membrane, including ion exchange membranes.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly has two gas diffusion layers, two catalyst layers and an ion-exchange membrane interposed therebetween wherein the ion-exchange membrane is cast from a sulphonated polyether ketone/sulfone ionomer. Specifically, the ionomer can be represented as A-B-C wherein Further x, y, z represent the mole ratios of each moiety in the ionomer such that x is between 0.25 and 0.40; y is between 0.01 and 0.26; and z is between 0.40 and 0.67. Melt viscosity of the corresponding base polymer also affects performance in the fuel cell, particularly at values over 0.4 kNsm?2 as measured at 400° C., 1000 s?1. In preparing the membrane electrode assembly, the catalyst layers may be coated directly on the membrane and then bonded with two gas diffusion layers.

Abstract: A significant problem in PEM fuel cell durability is in premature failure of the ion-exchange membrane and in particular by the degradation of the ion-exchange membrane by reactive hydrogen peroxide species. Such degradation can be reduced or eliminated by the presence of an additive in the anode, cathode or ion-exchange membrane. The additive may be a radical scavenger, a membrane cross-linker, a hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst and/or a hydrogen peroxide stabilizer. The presence of the additive in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) may however result in reduced performance of the PEM fuel cell. Accordingly, it may be desirable to restrict the location of the additive to locations of increased susceptibility to membrane degradation such as the inlet and/or outlet regions of the MEA.

Abstract: A water insoluble additive for improving the performance of an ion-exchange membrane, such as in the context of the high temperature operation of electrochemical fuel cells. The insoluble additive comprises a metal oxide cross-linked matrix having phosphonic acid groups covalently attached to the matrix through linkers. In one embodiment, the metal is silicon and the cross-linked matrix is a siloxane cross-linked matrix containing silicon atoms cross-linked by multiple disiloxy bonds and having phosphonic acid groups covalently attached to the silicon atoms through alkanediyl linkers.

Abstract: Contamination of the ion-exchange membrane in an electrochemical fuel cell can significantly reduce the lifetime. One source of contamination is from sealant materials, particularly if the sealant is silicone and impregnated into the peripheral region of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and thus in close proximity to the ion-exchange membrane. Contamination may be reduced or eliminated by separating the electrochemical reaction and/or the ion-exchange membrane from the sealant material. In an embodiment, this is done by having the sealing region substantially free of active electrocatalyst particles (for example, selectively printing the catalyst to avoid the sealing region or poisoning catalyst in the sealing region). In another embodiment, a barrier film is interposed between the ion-exchange membrane and the sealant material impregnated into the MEA. In yet another embodiment, a barrier plug is impregnated into the fluid diffusion layer adjacent to the sealant material impregnated into the MEA.