The present invention provides solid oxide cells such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, and sensors comprising an electrolyte having an interface between an yttria-stabilized zirconia material and a glass material, in some embodiments. Other embodiments add an interface between a platinum oxide material and the yttria-stabilized zirconia material in the electrolyte. Further embodiments of solid oxide cells have an ion-conducting species such as an ionic liquid or inorganic salt in contact with at least one electrode of the cell. Certain embodiments provide room temperature operation of solid oxide cells.

An elastomeric cell frame forming a unit cell of a fuel cell stack may include an insert in which a membrane electrode assembly and a pair of gas diffusion layers are bonded to each other; and an elastomeric frame disposed to surround a periphery of side surfaces of the insert, in which the side surfaces of the insert are positioned between the upper and lower surfaces of the insert, one of upper and lower surfaces of the insert and side surfaces of the insert and bonded with the periphery of the surface of the insert and the side surfaces of the insert into an integrated structure by thermal bonding.

An elastomeric cell frame forming a unit cell of a fuel cell stack may include an insert in which a membrane electrode assembly and a pair of gas diffusion layers are bonded to each other; and an elastomeric frame disposed to surround a periphery of side surfaces of the insert, in which the side surfaces of the insert are positioned between the upper and lower surfaces of the insert, one of upper and lower surfaces of the insert and side surfaces of the insert and bonded with the periphery of the surface of the insert and the side surfaces of the insert into an integrated structure by thermal bonding.

A fuel cell disclosed herein may comprise: a substrate provided with a recess through which fuel gas passes; an electrolyte membrane covering an opening of the recess; an insulating film covering one surface of the electrolyte membrane and having a through hole reaching the electrolyte membrane; a first electrode in contact with the one surface of the electrolyte membrane in the through hole; a second electrode in contact with the other surface of the electrolyte membrane; and a heater disposed in the insulating film at a position adjacent to the through hole.

A fuel cell disclosed herein may comprise: a substrate provided with a recess through which fuel gas passes; an electrolyte membrane covering an opening of the recess; an insulating film covering one surface of the electrolyte membrane and having a through hole reaching the electrolyte membrane; a first electrode in contact with the one surface of the electrolyte membrane in the through hole; a second electrode in contact with the other surface of the electrolyte membrane; and a heater disposed in the insulating film at a position adjacent to the through hole.

Embodiments of the invention include fuel cells incorporating sheets and/or powders of silica fibers and methods for producing such devices. The silica fibers may be formed via electrospinning of a sol gel produced with a silicon alkoxide reagent, such as tetraethyl ortho silicate, alcohol solvent, and an acid catalyst.

Embodiments of the invention include fuel cells incorporating sheets and/or powders of silica fibers and methods for producing such devices. The silica fibers may be formed via electrospinning of a sol gel produced with a silicon alkoxide reagent, such as tetraethyl ortho silicate, alcohol solvent, and an acid catalyst.

A composite high-temperature proton exchange membrane for a fuel cell is prepared using materials include PBI and composite A@B and phosphoric acid. A is nanoparticles with a free radical quenching function and B is C.sub.3N.sub.4 having a nanosheet structure. The mass fraction of composite A@B is 0.05-2 wt. % and the mass ratio of A to B in A@B is 1:1-1:20. Composite A@B is firstly prepared, and A@B is then ultrasonically dispersed with a strong polar aprotic solvent to obtain a dispersion S1. PBI solution S2 is obtained from PBI and a strong polar aprotic solvent. S1 and S2 are uniformly mixed and stirred to obtain a casting solution S3, which is cast on plate glass with a groove. The membrane is then soaked in phosphoric acid after dying to obtain a composite membrane for a high-temperature proton fuel cell.

There is provided a fuel cell cathode electrode, comprising a porous skeletal medium, the surface of which medium is modified or otherwise arranged or constructed to induce enhanced activated behaviour, wherein the enhanced activated behaviour is induced by means of increasing the surface area for a given volume of the electrode and/or by increasing the number and/or availability of reactive sites on the electrode. A fuel cell having such a cathode electrode, a method of manufacturing such a cathode electrode, and use of such a cathode electrode in a fuel cell is also disclosed.

A power source and hydride reactor is provided comprising a reaction cell for the catalysis of atomic hydrogen to form novel hydrogen species and compositions of matter comprising new forms of hydrogen, a source of atomic hydrogen, a source of a hydrogen catalyst comprising a reaction mixture of at least one reactant comprising the element or elements that form the catalyst and at least one other element, whereby the catalyst is formed from the source and the catalysis of atomic hydrogen releases energy in an amount greater than about 300 kJ per mole of hydrogen during the catalysis of the hydrogen atom. Further provided is a reactor wherein the reaction mixture comprises a catalyst or a source of catalyst and atomic hydrogen or a source of atomic hydrogen (H) wherein at least one of the catalyst and atomic hydrogen is released by a chemical reaction of at least one species of the reaction mixture or between two or more reaction-mixture species. In an embodiment, the species may be at least one of an element, complex, alloy, or a compound such as a molecular or inorganic compound wherein each may be at least one of a reagent or product in the reactor. Alternatively, the species may form a complex, alloy, or compound with at least one of hydrogen and the catalyst. Preferably, the reaction to generate at least one of atomic H and catalyst is reversible.