Disclosed is a fuel cell with enhanced mass transfer characteristics in which a highly hydrophobic porous medium, which is prepared by forming a micro-nano dual structure in which nanometer-scale protrusions with a high aspect ratio are formed on the surface of a porous medium with a micrometer-scale roughness by plasma etching and then by depositing a hydrophobic thin film thereon, is used as a gas diffusion layer, thereby increasing hydrophobicity due to the micro-nano dual structure and the hydrophobic thin film. When this highly hydrophobic porous medium is used as a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell, it is possible to reduce water flooding by efficiently discharging water produced by an electrochemical reaction of the fuel cell and to improve the performance of the fuel cell by facilitating the supply of reactant gases such as hydrogen and air (oxygen) to a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA).

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to membrane electrode assemblies. The membrane electrode assembly may include at least one gas-diffusion layer having a first side and a second side, and particle cores adhered to at least one of the first and second sides of the at least one gas-diffusion layer. The particle cores includes surfaces adhered to the at least one of the first and second sides of the at least one gas-diffusion layer and surfaces not in contact with the at least one gas-diffusion layer. Furthermore, a thin layer of catalytically atoms may be adhered to the surfaces of the particle cores not in contact with the at least one gas-diffusion 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.

An air-cathode battery includes a porous cathode current collector with an air interface, an ionic liquid electrolyte disposed in pores of the porous cathode current collector; a metal anode, and a separator in contact with the ionic liquid electrolyte and coupled between the porous cathode current collector and the metal anode. The porous cathode current collector is an ionogel formed from a silica sol-gel or a carbonized resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel and the pores are functionalized with a thiol group-containing species that is functionalized with one or more catalytic nanoparticles or the pores are electroplated with catalytic metal.

A fuel cell oxidation reduction reaction catalyst comprising a carbon substrate, an amorphous metal oxide intermediate layer on the substrate, and an intertwined matrix of platinum and elemental niobium arranged to form a surface metal layer covering the intermediate layer such that upon oxidation, the niobium binds with oxygen resulting in strengthened bonds between the platinum and the intermediate layer.

Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) including directly depositing a liquid suspension containing a platinum precursor onto an ionically conductive membrane (e.g., proton-exchange membrane) that, when the platinum precursor deposit layer is reduced, provides a layer that will scavenge hydrogen that has diffused back through the membrane due to cell stack pressure differential.

A hot-rolled austenitic iron/carbon/manganese steel sheet is provided. The strength of which is greater than 900 MPa, the product (strength (in MPa)elongation at fracture (in %)) of which is greater than 45000 and the chemical composition of which includes, the contents being expressed by weight 0.5%C0.7%, 17%Mn24%, Si3%, Al0.050%, S0.030%, P0.080% and N0.1%. A remainder of the composition includes iron and inevitable impurities resulting from the smelting. A recrystallized fraction of the structure of the steel is greater than 75%, a surface fraction of precipitated carbides of the steel is less than 1.5% and a mean grain size of the steel is less than 18 microns. A reinforcing element is also provided.

A method of forming a catalyst on a catalyst support, combination of catalysts and carbon supports produced thereby, and applications therefor, including catalyst layers, electrodes, membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, and vehicles. Such a method includes guiding ions of a precursor of a catalyst to land uniformly on an NH.sub.2-modified surface of a catalyst support, and depositing fine monodisperse nanoparticles on the NH.sub.2-modified surface. Ultrafine noble metal-transitional metal intermetallic nanoparticles (e.g., PtM) can be directly synthesized on catalyst supports (e.g., carbon supports). Noble metal nanoparticles (e.g., Pt) are monodispersed on a catalyst support through electrostatic attraction established between a precursor of the intermetallic nanoparticles and protonated ammonium ions (NH.sub.3.sup.+) immobilized over surfaces of the catalyst support. The monodisperse noble metal nanoparticles are then used as seeds to form the intermetallic nanoparticles.

A lens-shaped porous support for fuel cell catalysts may improve electrochemical performance and increase mass transfer capability when the porous support is used as a carrier to support a fuel cell catalyst.

The presently disclosed subject matter relates to devices, systems, and methods for fabricating a solid polymer electrolyte electrode assembly are provided. One or more electrode for a solid polymer electrolyte electrode assembly includes a porous substrate configured as a liquid/gas diffusion layer and an ionomer-free catalyst coated on the substrate.