The present invention provides a catalysed ion-conducting membrane comprising an ion-conducting membrane, an electrocatalyst layer having two opposing faces, and a layer A comprising an ion-conducting material and a carbon containing material. Also provided are methods for preparing the catalysed ion-conducting membrane.

Disclosed are methods manufacturing a four-layer membrane electrode assembly integrated with an adhesive film. The methods include a step of preparing a three-layer membrane electrode assembly comprising a first electrode and a second electrode by attaching the first electrode to a first surface of an electrolyte membrane, attaching the second electrode to a second surface of the electrolyte membrane, and joining a first gas diffusion layer to the first electrode; and a step of attaching an adhesive film to the three-layer membrane electrode assembly by preparing the adhesive film by attaching an upper protective film to an upper surface of the adhesive film and a lower protective film to a lower surface of the adhesive film, removing the lower protective film, and attaching the adhesive film to an outer peripheral region of the membrane electrode assembly including the second electrode.

A small diameter roll is provided on the upstream side of a heating and sucking roll, an electrode slurry is applied by using a slot nozzle on the small diameter roll or an OFF roll, and an electrode is formed by instantaneously evaporating a solvent by the heating and sucking roll.

Method of producing membrane-electrode assemblies (MEA) and a machine therefore, where a quasi-endless strip of a membrane material doped with a liquid electrolyte is laminated with electrodes and edge regions of the strip and spaces between the electrodes are pressed free from surplus electrolyte.

Materials for electrochemical cells are provided. BaZr.sub.0.4Ce.sub.0.4M.sub.0.2O.sub.3 compounds, where M represents one or more rare earth elements, are provided for use as electrolytes. PrBa.sub.0.5Sr.sub.0.5Co.sub.2−xFe.sub.xO.sub.5+δ is provided for use as a cathode. Also provided are electrochemical cells, such as protonic ceramic fuel cells, incorporating the compounds as electrolytes and cathodes.

A manufacturing process includes: depositing a first catalyst on a first gas diffusion layer (GDL) to form a first catalyst-coated GDL; depositing a first ionomer on the first catalyst-coated GDL to form a first gas diffusion electrode (GDE); depositing a second catalyst on a second GDL to form a second catalyst-coated GDL; depositing a second ionomer on the second catalyst-coated GDL to form a second GDE; and laminating the first GDE with the second GDE and with an electrolyte membrane disposed between the first GDE and the second GDE to form a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). A MEA includes a first GDL; a second GDL; an electrolyte membrane disposed between the first GDL and the second GDL; a first catalyst layer disposed between the first GDL and the electrolyte membrane; and a second catalyst layer disposed between the second GDL and the electrolyte membrane, wherein a thickness of the electrolyte membrane is about 15 μm or less.

An object of the present invention is to provide a membrane for a redox flow battery which is prevented from being curled and exhibits high power efficiency, a membrane electrode assembly for a redox flow battery, a cell for a redox flow battery, and a redox flow battery. The object can be attained by a membrane for a redox flow battery, comprising a first ion-exchange resin layer, an anion-exchange resin layer containing an anion-exchange compound, and a second ion-exchange resin layer in the presented order, wherein a value obtained by dividing a thickness of the first ion-exchange resin layer by a thickness of the second ion-exchange resin layer is 0.7 or more and 1.3 or less, and a thickness of the anion-exchange resin layer is 0.02 μm or larger and 3 μm or smaller.

There is provided a method for manufacturing a catalyst ink for fuel cell electrodes that allows simultaneously performing fineness of a catalyst and adjustment of viscosity of the catalyst ink. The method for manufacturing a catalyst ink for fuel cell electrodes containing a catalyst, a solvent, and an ionomer includes stirring and mixing the catalyst, the solvent, and the ionomer by a high-shear thin-film spin mixer. The ionomer contains a gel-like ionomer. The high-shear thin-film spin mixer includes a cylindrical stirring tank, a rotary vane, and a shaft. The cylindrical stirring tank has unevennesses on an inner peripheral surface. The rotary vane is concentric with the stirring tank and has an outer diameter slightly smaller than an inner diameter of the stirring tank. The shaft includes the rotary vane on an end portion and is rotatable at high speed in forward and reverse directions.

A membrane-electrode assembly, a method for manufacturing the membrane-electrode assembly, and a fuel cell including the membrane-electrode assembly are disclosed. The membrane-electrode assembly includes: an ion exchange membrane; catalyst layers disposed on both sides of the ion exchange membrane respectively; and a functional modification layer disposed between the ion exchange membrane and each of the catalyst layers. The membrane-electrode assembly has a low hydrogen permeability without a reduction of hydrogen ion conductivity, has excellent interfacial bonding properties between the catalyst layers and the ion exchange membrane, and has excellent performance and durability under high temperature/low humidity conditions.

Disclosed are a polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cells which has improved handling properties and mechanical strength by employing symmetric-type laminated composite films and a method for manufacturing the same.