A catalyst-coated membrane (CCM) for use in a water electrolyser, having a laminate structure comprising: a first layer comprising a first membrane component having a cathode catalyst layer disposed on a first face thereof; a second layer comprising a second membrane component having an anode catalyst layer disposed on a first face thereof; and an intermediate layer disposed between the first and second layers, comprising a third membrane component having a recombination catalyst layer disposed on a first face thereof is disclosed. The CCM is useful within a water electrolyser. The recombination catalyst layer reduces the risk associated with hydrogen crossover and allows thinner membranes with lower resistance to be used.

Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules.

A membrane electrode assembly includes an anode, a cathode, a membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode, a catalyzed layer in at least one position selected from the group consisting of between the cathode and the membrane and between the anode and the membrane, and an edge seal positioned along an edge of the membrane electrode assembly, wherein the membrane and the catalyzed layer extends into the edge seal.

Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules. Also a stabilized surfactant mesostructure coating for a porous material and filters made therefrom. The coating can simultaneously improve both the permeability and the filtration characteristics of the porous material.

Disclosed are a membrane-electrode assembly, a method of manufacturing the same, and a fuel cell including the membrane-electrode assembly. The membrane-electrode assembly includes a catalyst layer, an interfacial adhesive layer which is positioned on the catalyst layer and formed by permeating an interface between the interfacial adhesive layer and the catalyst layer into a partial depth of the catalyst layer, and an ion exchange membrane which is positioned on the interfacial adhesive layer and bonded to the catalyst layer by the medium of the interfacial adhesive layer, the interfacial adhesive layer including a fluorine-based ionomer having an equivalent weight (EW) of 500 to 1000 g/eq.

The invention relates to a fuel cell closing valve (36) having a valve closing body (5), which is electromagnetically movable from a first position to a second position by the energizing of an electrical coil (10) in order to close or open at least one medium passage of a fuel cell. In order to optimize the operation of the fuel cell system, the fuel cell closing valve (36) comprises two permanent magnets (13, 14), by means of which the valve closing body (5) can be held both in the first position and in the second position when the electrical coil (10) is in a currentless state.

A fuel cell system includes a supply valve for supplying an anode gas into an anode system, a purge valve for discharging an off-gas from the anode system, a pressure detecting portion configured to estimate or measures a pressure inside the anode system, a supply valve control portion configured to control an open/close operation of the supply valve based on a load of the fuel cell, a purge flow rate estimating portion configured to estimate a purge flow rate of the off-gas discharged from the anode system through the purge valve based on a pressure decrease inside the anode system in a supply valve close state, and a purge valve control portion configured to open the purge valve in synchronization with the supply valve close state.

A fuel cell has a stack that includes a fuel electrode and air electrode on opposite sides of an electrolyte membrane. The fuel electrode includes first and second fuel ports communicative via a fuel flow path, and the air electrode includes first and second air ports communicative via an air flow path. The fuel cell also includes first and second fuel feeders communicative with the first and second fuel ports, and first and second air feeders communicative with the first and second air ports. The fuel cell also includes a fuel switching unit between the first and second fuel feeders that switches a fuel supply direction between the first and second fuel feeders. The fuel cell further includes an air switching unit between the first and second air feeders that switches an air supply direction between the first and second air feeders.

A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell in which a plurality of cells are stacked; a voltage sensor configured to measure a cell voltage of the fuel cell; and a pressure sensor configured to measure an anode gas pressure in the fuel cell. When the cell voltage is lower than a predetermined threshold voltage, in a state in which an amount of supply of cathode gas to the fuel cell is secured, and a rate of decrease in the anode gas pressure is larger than a predetermined threshold rate, it is determined that a cross leak abnormality has occurred in the fuel cell.

A method of controlling a hydrogen partial pressure can be carried out in a fuel cell system including a stack having a hydrogen electrode and an air electrode. The method includes: determining a point of time to purge the hydrogen electrode using a hydrogen concentration at an outlet of the hydrogen electrode or an accumulated amount of charge generated in the stack; and setting a target supply pressure of hydrogen supplied to the stack, in which the target hydrogen supply pressure is set in consideration of a hydrogen pressure and a partial pressure of nitrogen resulting from crossover in the stack.