A method for preparing a support for an electrode catalyst including forming first and second polymer layers having charges different from each other on a surface of a carbon support and carbonizing the result, wherein the polymers included in the first and the second polymer layers are an aromatic compound including a heteroatom, and the first or the second polymer includes a pyridine group.

A gas diffusion layer for proton exchange membrane fuel cell and preparation method thereof are provided. The preparation method is to papermake and dry carbon fiber suspension mainly composed of a fibrous binder, water, a dispersant and carbon fibers with different aspect ratios to obtain a carbon fiber base paper, and then carbonize and graphitize under the protection of nitrogen or inert gas to obtain a gas diffusion layer for proton exchange membrane fuel cell; where the fibrous binder is a composite fiber or a blend fiber composed of a phenolic resin and other resin; where the prepared gas diffusion layer for proton exchange membrane fuel cell has a pore gradient, and the layer with the smallest pore size is an intrinsic microporous layer.

A porous carbon electrode substrate hardly causes a short circuit when used in a fuel cell, and from which carbon fibers protruding from the substrate surface, carbon fibers that protrude from the substrate surface when the porous carbon electrode substrate is pressurized in a direction perpendicular to a surface thereof, and short carbon fibers that are insufficiently bonded at the substrate surface have been sufficiently removed. The porous carbon electrode substrate includes short carbon fibers and carbonized resin bonding the short carbon fibers, the porous carbon electrode substrate having an average short circuit current value measured at a first surface of 10 mA or less.

A method of fabricating a three-dimensional (3D) architectured anode. The method comprises immersing a fabric textile in a precursor solution, the precursor solution comprising a nickel salt and gadolinium doped ceria (GDC). The nickel salt and GDC are absorbed to the fabric textile. The fabric textile comprising the absorbed nickel salt and GDC is removed from the precursor solution and calcined to form a 3D architectured anode comprising nickel oxide and GDC. Additional methods and a direct carbon fuel cell including the 3D architectured anode are also disclosed.

The processing apparatus includes: a first roller 10 around which a gas-diffusion layer sheet (carbon paper CP) is wound, the gas-diffusion layer sheet being an electrically conductive porous member; a second roller 20 configured to take up the carbon paper CP wound around the first roller 10; and a processing oven configured to heat process a portion of the carbon paper CP, the portion having been fed from the first roller 10 but not yet taken up by the second roller 20. A heat-resistant lead LE is provided, the heat-resistant lead LE having a length at least extending from the first roller 10 to the second roller 20 through the processing oven, being configured to be taken up by the second roller 20, and being bonded to the carbon paper CP impregnated with a thermosetting resin AD.

In one embodiment, a gas diffusion layer for fuel cells includes a fine porous layer formed on a carbon fiber support and being interposed between a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) and a separator. The carbon fiber support includes a fine pore area having a predetermined average pore size in a separator direction (thickness direction) in the membrane electrode assembly, and a coarse pore area having a larger predetermined average pore size than the average pore size of the fine pore area in the separator direction (thickness direction) in the membrane electrode assembly. The fine pore area and the coarse pore area are alternately formed.

Provided is a microbial fuel cell including a cathode and an anode, wherein the cathode includes a waterproof gas diffusion layer including a siloxane and a catalyst layer including a binder, wherein a surface of the gas diffusion layer opposite the catalyst layer contacts air, and the anode includes electrogenic bacteria. Also provided is a method for making a microbial fuel cell, including fabricating a cathode, wherein fabricating includes disposing a siloxane solution onto a surface of a substrate, wherein the siloxane solution includes a siloxane and a solvent, drying the siloxane solution to form a waterproof gas diffusion layer, and placing the gas diffusion layer on a catalyst layer including a binder, and facing an anode with the cathode whereby the gas diffusion layer faces away from the anode and contacts air.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a lithium air battery including a nitrogen-doped carbon cathode, more specifically, a method for manufacturing a lithium air battery including a nitrogen-doped carbon cathode that can inhibit side reactions between a carbon cathode and an electrolyte, and thus improve battery stability by doping the carbon cathode with nitrogen by repeatedly conducting initial charge/discharge an appropriate number of times on a lithium air battery containing a first electrolyte with a low viscosity, and is eco-friendly due to using a non-destructive manner as compared to conventional methods, and can inhibit an electrolyte depletion phenomenon and improve battery lifespan by further including a second electrolyte with a high viscosity.

The present invention relates to an electrode catalyst for a fuel cell that includes a carbon support (11) having pores (13) and catalyst particles containing platinum or a platinum alloy supported on the carbon support (11). The pores (13) of the carbon support (11) have a mode size of pores (13) in a range of 2.1 nm to 5.1 nm. A total pore volume of the pores (13) of the carbon support (11) is in a range of 21 cm.sup.3/g to 35 cm.sup.3/g. A distance between the catalyst particles and a surface of the carbon support (11) is in a range of 2.0 nm to 12 nm as a distance of a 50% cumulative frequency.

A manufacturing method for a gas diffusion layer includes: a coating step of coating a carbon paste on a front surface of a porous base material in a sheet shape; and a blowing step of injecting a gas onto a back surface of the porous base material opposite to the front surface on which the carbon paste is coated.