A method for the production of an electrode for a fuel cell is provided that comprises providing a multitude of catalyst particles carried on at least one electrically conductive particle carrier, and depositing one or more atomic or molecular layers of an ionomer from the gas phase on the catalyst particles and/or the at least one particle carrier, thereby forming a proton-conducting ionomer coating. Furthermore, an electrode for a fuel cell is also provided.

Compositions comprised of a tin film, coated by a shell of less than 50 nm thick made of palladium and tin in a molar ratio ranging from 1:4 to 3:1, respectively, are disclosed. Uses of the compositions as an electro-catalyst e.g., in a fuel cell, and particularly for the oxidation of various materials are also disclosed.

A polyelemental catalyst structure. The structure includes a region formed of a first metal material, a first core region formed of a second metal material, and a second core region formed of a third metal material. The first core region has interfacial contact with the region. The second core region has interfacial contact with the first core region. The polyelemental catalyst structure includes platinum (Pt), a first metal M.sub.I, a second metal M.sub.II and a third metal M.sub.III. The first metal M.sub.I is configured to enhance catalytic activity of Pt. The second metal M.sub.II is configured to enhance stability of the polyelemental catalyst structure. The third metal M.sub.III is configured to enhance covalent bonding between Pt, the first metal M.sub.I, the second metal M.sub.II and/or the third metal M.sub.III.

Provided are a MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material, a preparation method therefor and a use thereof. In the MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material, 2.5≤x≤3.1, 0.2≤y≤0.7, and the mass percent of MoS.sub.xO.sub.y is 5%-50% based on the total mass of the nanocomposite material. When the MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material is used as a catalyst for an electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction, the current density is 150 mA/cm.sup.2 or more at an overpotential of 300 mV. The difference between this performance and the performance of a commercial 20% Pt/C catalyst is relatively small, or even equivalent; and this performance is far better than the catalytic performance of an existing MOS.sub.2 composite material. The MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material also has a good catalytic stability, and after 8,000 catalytic cycles, the current density thereof is only decreased by 3%, thus exhibiting a very good catalytic performance and cycle stability.

Disclosed are a carbon substrate for a gas diffusion layer of a fuel cell, a gas diffusion layer employing the same, an electrode for a fuel cell, a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell, and a fuel cell, wherein the carbon substrate includes a plate-shaped substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, and the plate-shaped substrate includes carbon fibers arranged to extend in one direction (extend unidirectionally) and a carbide of an organic polymer located between the carbon fibers to bind the carbon fibers to each other. Since the carbon substrate according to the present disclosure includes carbon fibers aligned in at least one direction selected from a machine direction (MD) and a cross-machine direction (CMD) by controlling the alignment of carbon fibers, the carbon substrate has excellent mechanical strength, particularly, bending strength, even if its thickness is thin, and thus it is possible to effectively prevent the intrusion phenomenon of the gas diffusion layer into the flow path of the metal separator, and has excellent gas flow characteristics.

A catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells that improves drainage or gas diffusion, reduces or prevents the occurrence of cracking in a catalyst layer, enhances catalyst utilization efficiency, exerts high output power and high energy conversion efficiency, and has high durability, and also provides a membrane-electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell using the catalyst layer. The catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells contains a catalyst, carbon particles, a polymer electrolyte, and a fibrous material. In the catalyst layer, the carbon particles carry the catalyst1. The catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells has voids. The percentage of frequencies of the voids having a cross-sectional area of 10,000 nm.sup.2 or more is 13% or more and 20% or less among the voids observed in a thickness-direction cross section of the catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells perpendicular to the surface thereof.

An energy conversion device for conversion of chemical energy into electricity. The energy conversion device has a first and second electrode. A substrate is present that has a porous semiconductor or dielectric layer placed thereover. The porous semiconductor or dielectric layer can be a nano-engineered structure. A porous catalyst material is placed on at least a portion of the porous semiconductor or dielectric layer such that at least some of the porous catalyst material enters the nano-engineered structure of the porous semiconductor or dielectric layer, thereby forming an intertwining region.

A method for producing a catalyst-coated membrane includes: preparing and/or providing a first ink having a first ink composition, comprising substrated catalyst particles proton-conducting ionomer and dispersing agent, in which the fraction of the substrated catalyst particles remains behind the fraction of the proton-conducting ionomer; preparing and/or providing at least one second ink having a second ink composition, comprising the substrated catalyst particles, the proton-conducting ionomer and the dispersing agent, in which the fraction of the proton-conducting ionomer remains behind the fraction of the substrated catalyst particles, unwinding a weblike proton-conducting membrane material provided on a roll; applying at least one layer of the first ink with a first application tool onto at least one section of the membrane material; and applying at least one layer of the second ink with a second application tool onto an outermost layer of the first ink deposited onto the membrane material

A catalyst for a membrane electron assembly (MEA) comprising: a ternary oxide material having at least one composition of formula (I): Ir.sub.xM.sub.1-xO.sub.2 (I), where x is any number between about 0.25 and 0.75, and M is Ag, Au, Ba, Bi, Ca, Ce, Eu, Ge, Hf, La, Nd, Os, Pd, Pr, Re, Rh, Se, Sm, Tl, or W, the material being configured to catalyze oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and increase stability, activity, or both of the catalyst.

Nanoporous carbon-based scaffolds or structures, and specifically carbon aerogels and their manufacture and use thereof. Embodiments include a cathode material within a lithium-air battery, where the cathode is formed of a binder-free, monolithic, polyimide-derived carbon aerogel. The carbon aerogel includes pores that improve the oxygen transport properties of electrolyte solution and improve the formation of lithium peroxide along the surface and/or within the pores of the carbon aerogel. The cathode and underlying carbon aerogel provide optimal properties for use within the lithium-air battery.