A process of producing a cathode electrocatalyst for metal-air batteries includes providing a carbon source suspension, a metal source solution, and a nitrogen source solution, subjecting the carbon source suspension and the metal source solution to a low-temperature hydrothermal reaction, subjecting a first precursor-containing product thus formed and the nitrogen source solution to a high-temperature hydrothermal reaction, and subjecting a second precursor thus formed to a heating treatment under a protective atmosphere. A cathode electrocatalyst produced by the process is also disclosed.

In certain embodiments, an apparatus includes an electrolyte membrane layer (EML), and includes a first electrode catalyst layer (ECL) and a first metallic gas diffusion layer (MGDL) positioned to a first side of the EML such that the first ECL is positioned between the first MGDL and the EML. The first MGDL includes a metal-containing layer and a coating of porous material disposed on a surface of the metal-containing layer of the first MGDL that faces the first ECL. The apparatus further includes a second ECL and a second MGDL positioned to the second side of the EML such that the second ECL is positioned between the second MGDL and the EML. The second MGDL includes a metal-containing layer and a coating of porous material disposed on a surface of the metal-containing layer of the second MGDL that faces the second ECL.

Disclosed are an electrode including a polymer matrix and a catalyst including metal nanoparticles and a conductive polymer shell and, a method of preparing the same. According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, various hybrid nano-composites may be formed by a combination of other conductive polymers than P3HT with metal nanoparticles. For example, the method may include selectively disposing metal nanoparticles to a surface modified conductive polymer including a block copolymer of two or more types of conductive polymers.

The present invention relates to a transition metal nitride support, a method of manufacturing the same, a metal catalyst and a platinum-alloy catalyst including the transition metal nitride support, and manufacturing methods thereof. The manufactured transition metal support prevents corrosion of the support and aggregation of the platinum catalyst, thereby exhibiting high oxygen reduction catalytic activity. Also, strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) can be stabilized, thus improving the durability of the catalyst. The transition metal support includes large pores uniformly distributed therein, thereby increasing the amount of the catalyst supported and minimizing mass-transfer resistance in a membrane- electrode assembly, increasing the performance of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The metal catalyst includes platinum particles loaded on the transition metal nitride support, thus exhibiting superior durability and activity. The manufactured platinum-alloy catalyst decreases the use of expensive platinum, thus generating economic benefits and improving the inherent oxygen reduction performance.

A fuel cell catalyst material includes metal catalyst particles formed of a metal material and a carbon-based coating composition at least partially coating at least some of the metal catalyst particles. The carbon-based coating composition includes a carbon network. The carbon-based coating composition is doped with a dopant. The carbon-based coating composition includes a number of defects formed by one or more vacated carbon atoms in the carbon network.

A method of producing electrical power includes: a cathode having a porphyrin precursor attached to a substrate, and having a first enzyme, wherein the first enzyme reduces oxygen; an anode having a first region of an anode substrate and having a gold nanoparticle composition located thereon, and having a second region of the anode substrate having an enzyme composition located thereon, wherein the enzyme composition includes a second enzyme, wherein the first region and second region are separate regions; and a neutral fuel liquid in contact with the anode and cathode, the neutral fuel liquid having a neutral pH and a fuel reagent; and operating the fuel cell to produce electrical power with the neutral fuel liquid having the neutral pH and the fuel reagent.

Disclosed are anode electrode structures for microbial fuel cell (MFC) devices, systems and methods for treating wastewater and generating electrical energy through a bioelectrochemical waste-to-energy conversion process. In some aspects, an anode electrode includes a conductive core and a plurality of sheets of conductive textile material wound around the conductive core. In some aspects, the anode electrode is produced by cutting sheets of a conductive textile material to form a stem and a plurality of branches connected to the stem. The conductive textile material is pretreated to enhance the surface area, hydrophilicity, microbial attachment, and/or electrochemical activity of the conductive textile material. The sheets are stacked together and wound around a conductive core to produce the anode electrode. In implementations, the anode electrode can be used to transfer electrons removed from wastewater surrounding the branched electrode via an oxidation reaction on the electrode surface within the an MFC device.

An anode catalyst layer for a fuel cell includes: electrode catalyst particles; a carbon carrier carrying the electrode catalyst particles; water electrolysis catalyst particles; a proton-conductive binder; and a graphitized carbon, wherein the content of the graphitized carbon in the anode catalyst layer for a fuel cell is 3-70 mass % with respect to the total mass of the electrode catalyst particles, the carbon carrier, and the graphitized carbon.

An electrode catalyst layer for fuel cells capable of effectively preventing reduction of cell voltage in a high current density region. The electrode catalyst layer contains a catalyst-on-support composed of a support made of a conductive inorganic oxide having a catalyst supported thereon and a hydrophilic material. The hydrophilic material is an agglomerate including hydrophilic conductive particles. The content of the hydrophilic material in the catalyst layer is 2 mass % or higher and lower than 20 mass % relative to the sum of the support and the hydrophilic material. The ratio of the particle size d1 of the hydrophilic particles to the particle size D of the catalyst-on-support is 0.5 to 3.0. The ratio of the particle size d2 of the hydrophilic material to the thickness T of the catalyst layer is 0.1 to 1.2.

A solid oxide electrochemical cell includes a solid oxide electrolyte, an anode located on a first side of the solid oxide electrolyte, and a cathode located on a second side of the solid oxide electrolyte. The cathode includes lanthanum nickel ferrite.