A membrane electrode assembly comprises a polymer electrolyte interposed between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, the anode electrode comprising an anode catalyst layer adjacent at least a portion of a first major surface of the polymer electrolyte, the cathode electrode comprising a cathode catalyst layer adjacent at least a portion of a second major surface of the polymer electrolyte; at least one of the anode and cathode catalyst layers comprising: a first catalyst composition comprising a noble metal; and a second composition comprising a metal oxide; wherein the second composition has been treated with a fluoro-phosphonic acid compound.

A lithium air battery including a composite cathode including a porous material and a first solid electrolyte; a lithium metal anode; an oxygen blocking layer adjacent to the anode; and a cathode interlayer disposed between the cathode and the oxygen blocking layer, wherein the cathode interlayer includes a lithium ion conducting second solid electrolyte.

Nanostructured materials, and methods and apparatus for their production are provided. Nanostructured materials comprise nanofibers having nanoparticles deposited along the outer surface thereof. The size of the nanofibers and nanoparticles, and the spacing of such nanoparticles along the nanofibers may be controlled over a wide range. Nanostructured materials may comprise a plurality of such nanofibers interwoven together to form fiber cloth-like materials. Many materials may be used to form the nanofibers including polymer nanofiber materials (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), etc.) along with compatible nanoparticle materials (e.g., salts or other crystallizable materials).

Disclosed are a positive electrode for lithium air batteries with excellent stability, a method of manufacturing the same, and a lithium air battery including the same, and a lithium air battery with improved stability by including the positive electrode. The positive electrode may include a conductive material and an ionic liquid such that the process of manufacturing the lithium air battery may be simplified, and the stability of the lithium air battery may be further improved as the result of inhibition of side reactions.

A cathode having a tandem electrocatalyst structure is provided. The cathode includes a plurality of wires spaced apart from each other, a layer formed on a surface of each of the plurality of wires, and a plurality of nanoparticles disposed on the layer. Each of the plurality of wires includes a first perovskite material or a metal. The layer includes a second perovskite material. Each of the nanoparticles includes a metal oxide.

A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) includes a membrane, a cathode catalyst layer, and an anode catalyst layer. The anode catalyst layer includes a Pt/C catalyst layer that has one or more hydrogen bronzes. The hydrogen bronzes include one or more oxides of niobium, molybdenum, and tungsten. The anode catalyst layer does not include ruthenium.

Compositions and process for optimizing oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions are provided. Oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution catalysts include oxide compositions having a general formula a formula A.sub.2-xMO.sub.y, where x is electrochemically tuned to find optimal A content that delivers the best catalytic performance in a chemical system. The process provides the ability to find the optimal catalytic performance by tuning A and hence, the binding strength of O.

A catalyst layer includes (i) an electrocatalyst, and (ii) a water electrolysis catalyst, iridium or iridium oxide and one or more metals M or an oxide thereof, wherein M is selected from transition metals and/or Sn, with the exception of ruthenium. Such a catalyst layer has utility in fuel cells that experience high electrochemical potentials.

A cathode for an air battery includes a porous conductive material; and a base-resistant compound on a surface of the porous conductive material, the base-resistant compound having a 0 or positive Gibbs free energy at 2 V to 4.5 V vs Li/Li+ at a pH of about 7 to about 14.

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.