A cathode for fuel cells includes a carbon support, a platinum catalyst supported on the carbon support and an ionomer surrounding the carbon support and the platinum catalyst, wherein the ionomer is removed from the surface of the platinum catalyst. The cathode for fuel cells has a structure in which an ionomer film coating the surface of the platinum catalyst and thus acting as oxygen transfer resistance is removed from the surface of the platinum catalyst and, thus, mass transfer resistance (oxygen diffusion resistance) may be reduced and performance of a fuel cell may be improved. Further, the cathode having a low amount of platinum used due to improvement in platinum utilization may effectively execute oxygen transfer and thus increase the amount of platinum participating in catalysis, as compared to conventional cathodes.

A solid oxide fuel cell includes a metal support cell, in which an anode layer containing nickel, an electrolyte layer and a cathode layer are stacked on a metal support portion. In the method for activating the anode layer in the solid oxide fuel cell, first, an oxygen-containing gas is introduced into the anode layer to oxidize the nickel. Next, a hydrogen-containing gas HG is introduced into the anode layer to reduce the nickel oxide formed by oxidizing the nickel, and to increase conduction paths of the nickel that electrically connect the electrolyte layer to the metal support part in the anode layer.

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.

A method of producing electrodes includes selecting a palladium alloy, annealing the palladium alloy at a first temperature above 350 C., cold working the palladium alloy into a desired electrode shape, and annealing the palladium alloy at a second temperatures and for a time sufficient to produce a grain size between about 5 microns and about 100 microns. The method further includes etching the palladium alloy, rinsing the palladium alloy with at least one of water and heavy water, and storing the palladium alloy in an inert environment.

A membrane for fuel cells, such as PEM and/or AEM fuel cells and/or electrolyzers is disclosed. Such a membrane (e.g., an anion conducting membrane) may include: crosslinked ionomer comprising two types of functional groups: a first type of functional groups forming crosslinking bonds between two ionomer chains; and a second type of functional groups comprising ion conducting functional groups. In some embodiments, the crosslinking bonds may not include the ion conducting functional groups. A catalyst coated membrane (CCM) is also disclosed. In such case the membrane may further include at least one catalyst layer attached to at least one side of the membrane to form the catalyst coated membrane (CCM). The at least one catalyst layer may include catalyst nanoparticles and crosslinked ionomer of the catalyst layer comprising two types of functional groups.

Methods of exfoliating a graphite felt include applying a voltage differential to the graphite felt in an aqueous solution. Typically, the voltage differential is from about 5 V to about 20 V, preferably from about 10 V to about 15 V, and is applied for a duration from about 15 seconds to about 10 minutes, preferably from about 30 seconds to about 2 minutes. The aqueous solution includes a dissolved electrolyte, such as NH.sup.4+ or SO.sub.4.sup.2.

In an AMFC, in the formation of a CCM, the anode catalyst layer is selectively cross-linked while the cathode catalyst layer is not cross-linked. This has been found to provide structural stabilization of the CCM without loss of initial power value for a CCM without cross-linking.

A carrier-nanoparticle complex, a catalyst including the same, an electrochemical cell including the catalyst, and a method for preparing a carrier-nanoparticle complex.

A negative electrode active material slurry is applied to one surface of a strip-shaped negative electrode core so as to form multiple lines of the negative electrode active material slurry, the lines extending in an X direction and being spaced from each other in a Y direction. Subsequently, while keeping the negative electrode core aloft, first hot air is blown toward the negative electrode core from at least a lower side in a vertical direction, and then, while keeping the negative electrode core aloft, first cooling air having a lower temperature than the first hot air is blown toward the negative electrode core from at least the lower side in the vertical direction so as to decrease the temperature of the negative electrode core to 40 C. or lower.

A membrane electrode assembly is provided that includes a polymer electrolyte membrane and a catalyst layer provided on a surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane. The catalyst layer comprises catalyst particles and an ionomer film surrounding each of the catalyst particles. The ionomer film has an oxygen permeability of approximately 6.010.sup.12 mol/cm/s to 15.010.sup.12 mol/cm/s at 80 C. and a relative humidity of approximately 30% to 100%.