MEMBRANE-ELECTRODE STRUCTURE AND FUEL CELL

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a membrane-electrode structure capable of being downsized by improving the protection of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and to provide a fuel cell. SOLUTION: In the membrane-electrode structure, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 22 is sandwiched by a pair of gas diffusion electrode layers 24, 26 comprising catalyst layers 28, 30 and gas diffusion layers 32, 34 so that the catalyst layers 28, 30 come into contact with both surfaces of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 22; and the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 22 is covered with one of the gas diffusion electrode layer 26 and a seal member 62 in the shape of a frame provided outside the gas diffusion electrode layer 26, and at the same time bulges out of the other gas diffusion electrode layer 24. The end surface of the catalyst layer 30 of the one of the gas diffusion electrode layers 26 is installed in a position shifted from the end surface of the catalyst layer 28 of the other gas diffusion electrode layer 24. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT