Disclosed is a fuel supplying apparatus, for a direct carbon fuel cell, which has improved output density by ensuring the flow properties of an anode medium. The fuel supplying apparatus for a direct carbon fuel cell comprises: a flow pipe which forms a flow path around a tube-shaped cell contained in an anode medium in which a carbon fuel is mixed; and a bubbling means which provides a gas from below the flow pipe to the inside of the anode medium and thus enables the anode medium to flow by the upward movement of the gas. Consequently, the carbon fuel is forcibly provided to the anode of the tube-shaped cell by the flow of the anode medium which is linked with the upward movement of the gas.

An illustrative example porous fuel cell component includes a plurality of fibers, a plurality of first pores defined by spaces between the fibers, and a plurality of second pores defined by an interior space in at least some of the fibers. Another illustrative example porous fuel cell component includes a plurality of first fibers and a plurality of second fibers that are different than the first fibers. The second fibers are hollow.

A metal/air button cell includes a cell cup having at least one inlet opening via which atmospheric oxygen can enter the interior, the cell cup has an inner side facing the interior, and an oppositely directed outer side, an air cathode is in the form of a cathode disk with a circumferential cathode disk periphery, the air cathode includes a metal collector structure, the cathode disk is arranged such that the cathode disk periphery bears along a circumferential contact zone against the inner side of a cladding region, the cell cup has, on its outer side, at least one recess made by impression and becomes visible as a raised portion on the inner side, and the at least one recess is made in the outer side such that the raised portion exerts a pressure against the cathode disk periphery in the region of the contact zone.

A process of producing a porous electrode substrate, including: dispersing first short carbon fibers and producing a first precursor sheet not having a three-dimensional entangled structure of the first short carbon fibers; treating the first precursor sheet such that the first short carbon fibers in the first precursor sheet are entangled and that a second precursor sheet having a three-dimensional entangled structure of the first short carbon fibers is obtained; dispersing second short carbon fibers on the second precursor sheet such that a porous electrode precursor sheet including the second precursor sheet and a third precursor sheet not having a three-dimensional entangled structure of the second short carbon fibers and stacked on the second precursor sheet is obtained; and carbonization treating the porous electrode substrate precursor sheet at a temperature of at least 1000° C. to obtain the porous electrode substrate.

In this fuel cell electrode catalyst layer, a catalyst is supported on a carrier comprising inorganic oxide particles. The fuel cell electrode catalyst layer is provided with a porous structure. When a mercury penetration method is used to measure the pore size distribution of the porous structure, a peak is observed in the range spanning from 0.005 μm to 0.1 μm inclusive, and a peak is also observed in the range spanning from over 0.1 μm to not more than 1 μm. When P1 represents the peak intensity in the range spanning from 0.005 μm to 0.1 μm inclusive, and P2 represents the peak intensity in the range spanning from over 0.1 μm to not more than 1 μm, the value of P2/P1 is 0.2-10 inclusive. It is preferable that the inorganic oxide be tin oxide.

Each air battery stacked in a battery pack includes a cathode layer, an anode layer, an electrolyte layer and a frame member having electrical insulation properties and surrounding at least outer circumferences of the electrolyte layer and the cathode layer. The cathode layer includes a fluid-tight air-permeable member located at a cathode surface thereof and having, when viewed in plan, an outer circumferential edge portion situated outside of the outer circumference of the electrolyte layer. The frame member includes a holding portion located a cathode side thereof so as to hold the outer circumferential edge portion of the fluid-tight air-permeable member. The outer circumferential edge portion of the fluid-tight air-permeable member is adapted as a compressed region to which a compressive load is applied in a thickness direction thereof. By this structure, it is possible to achieve both of thickness reduction and high electrolyte sealing performance.

There is disclosed a cartridge for a portable electronic device power system configured as a flat, prismatic, air-breathing zinc-air battery comprising (a) an anode assembly having a structural backbone, current collectors, and a gel solution comprising a mixture of amalgamated zinc powder, aqueous potassium hydroxide and a gelling agent, (b) a porous separator sheet, and (c) an air-breathing cathode having an electrode impregnated with reductive catalyst, and (d) a serialized electrical connectivity path having low ohmic resistance characteristics. More specifically, there is disclosed a prismatic format, flat rectangular disposable primary battery having two or more zinc-air batteries connected in series, wherein each zinc air battery comprises: (a) an anode assembly having a structural backbone, current collectors, and a gel solution comprising a mixture of amalgamated zinc powder, aqueous potassium hydroxide and a gelling agent, (b) a porous separator sheet, and (c) a catalytically active oxygen-reductive cathode.

The electrode (10) includes an electrically conductive surface (14) with a galvanic pellicle, or carbon nanotube mat (18), secured to the conductive surface (14). The pellicle (18) has a first surface (20) and an opposed outer surface (22) and defines an uncompressed thickness dimension (24) as a longest length of a straight axis (26) extending from the first surface (20) to the outer surface (22) of an uncompressed section (28) of the galvanic pellicle (18). Uncompressed sections (28) of the pellicle are defined between connected areas (30) and continuous connected areas (32) of the pellicle (18). Any point (35) within any uncompressed section (28) is no more distant from one of a nearest connected area (30) and/or a nearest segment (34) of a continuous connected area (32) than about ten times the uncompressed thickness dimension (24) of the pellicle (18), thereby achieving significantly reduced contact resistance.

A fuel cell system has a cell (1) that is capable of generating electric power. The cell (1) has a fuel electrode (1a), an air electrode (1b) and an electrolyte (1c). The fuel electrode (1a) is supplied with hydrogen obtained by reforming fuel gas. The air electrode (1b) is supplied with oxygen in the air. The electrolyte (1c) is interposed between the fuel electrode (1a) and the air electrode (1b) to enable oxygen ions to pass through to the fuel electrode (1a). A water vapor retaining mechanism (6) is disposed in a flow path of the fuel gas supplied to the fuel electrode (1a). The mechanism (6) retains water vapor generated in the fuel electrode (1a) during electric power generation by the cell (1). The mechanism (6) enables the water vapor to be mixed with the fuel gas.

Provided is a highly reliable fuel cell that improves power generation efficiency of the fuel cell and that is less likely to cause damage to an electrode and an electrolyte film. The fuel cell includes a support substrate (2, 3) having a region in which a support portion having a mesh-like shape in a plan view is provided, a first electrode 4 on the support substrate, an electrolyte film 5 on the first electrode, and a second electrode 6 on the electrolyte film. The first electrode includes a first thin film electrode 4A formed in a manner of covering at least the region, and a first mesh-like electrode 4B connected to the first thin film electrode and provided corresponding to the support portion. The first mesh-like electrode 4B has a film thickness larger than that of the first thin film electrode and has a mesh-like shape in a plan view.