Provided is an ionomer resin including a copolymer containing the following first structural unit. ##STR00001## L.sub.1 to L.sub.5 are each independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkanol group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a specific functional group including an anion-exchange group, and an example of the functional group is Z.sub.2-M.sub.1-Z.sub.1(R.sub.1)(R.sub.2)(R.sub.3). R.sub.1 to R.sub.3 are directly bonded to Z.sub.1 and are each independently an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an alkanol group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms. M.sub.1 is a linear hydrocarbon chain having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, Z.sub.1 is a nitrogen atom or a phosphorus atom, and Z.sub.2 is a nitrogen atom bonded to one hydrogen atom, an oxygen atom, or a sulfur atom. L.sub.6 is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group.

An active layer/membrane assembly to be incorporated into a hydrogen production device comprises an active layer in contact with a membrane capable of exchanging ions, the active layer comprising catalyst particles and particles referred to as support particles, wherein the size of the support particles is greater than the thickness of the active layer, so that the support particles emerge from the active layer, at the surface opposite the surface in contact with the membrane. A unit comprising the assembly and a porous current collector, the assembly and the collector having a complementarity of surface finish is provided. A process for manufacturing the assembly is also provided.

A method is provided that modifies a catalyst layer of a membrane catalyst layer assembly, which is manufactured by transferring the catalyst layer formed on a transfer sheet onto an electrolyte membrane. In the catalyst layer correction method, presence or absence of a defect in the catalyst layer is detected. The defect is removed based on the size and position of the detected defect. The portion from which the defect has been removed is repaired by application thereto of a correcting ink corresponding to the catalyst layer.

Disclosed are a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell and a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell manufactured using the same. The planar membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell may include an ionomer membrane formed on both side surfaces of an electrode and between the electrode and an electrolyte membrane, thereby increasing interfacial bonding force between the electrode and the electrolyte membrane and improving the durability of a cell. In addition, the membrane electrode assembly may include planar or smooth surfaces such that formation of voids or surface steps between the electrode and a sub-gasket may be prevented, thereby improving airtightness and preventing deterioration attributable to concentration of pressure.

There is provided a fuel cell cathode electrode, comprising a porous skeletal medium, the surface of which medium is modified or otherwise arranged or constructed to induce enhanced activated behaviour, wherein the enhanced activated behaviour is induced by means of increasing the surface area for a given volume of the electrode and/or by increasing the number and/or availability of reactive sites on the electrode. A fuel cell having such a cathode electrode, a method of manufacturing such a cathode electrode, and use of such a cathode electrode in a fuel cell is also disclosed.

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly with minimized interfacial resistance between an electrode and an electrolyte membrane. For instance, a catalyst admixture including a catalyst composite including a catalyst and a first binder, and a second binder may be applied to a porous substrate and the porous substrate may be impregnated with the second binder, thereby minimizing interfacial resistance between the electrode and the electrolyte membrane and reducing a thickness of the electrolyte membrane.

The present invention provides a method of preparing an electrocatalyst ink, the method comprising a step of contacting a dispersion with a base metal-binding agent.

The present disclosure includes a system, method, and device related to controlling brakes of a towed vehicle. A brake controller system includes a brake controller that controls the brakes of a towed vehicle based on acceleration. The brake controller is in communication with a speed sensor. The speed sensor determines the speed of a towing vehicle or a towed vehicle. The brake controller automatically sets a gain or boost based on the speed and acceleration.

A method for improving freezing resistance of a membrane electrode assembly is provided. In particular, the method improves freezing resistance of a membrane electrode assembly including conducting drying and heat treatment under certain conditions to produce an electrode that reduces formation of macro-cracks and micro-cracks in the electrode. Accordingly, water does not permeate the electrode excessively and the electrode does not break even when frozen.

A fuel cell device is prepared by dispensing and drying electrode and ceramic pastes around two pluralities of removable physical structures to form electrode layers having constant width and a shape that conforms lengthwise to a curvature of the physical structures. An electrolyte ceramic layer is positioned between electrode layers, forming an active cell portion where anode is in opposing relation to cathode with electrolyte therebetween, and passive cell portions where ceramic is adjacent the active cell portion. The layers are laminated, the physical structures pulled out, and the lamination sintered to form an active cell with active passages in anodes and cathodes and passive support structure with passive passages in ceramic. End portions of at least one of the two pluralities of physical structures are curved away from the same end portion of the other of the two pluralities resulting in a split end in the fuel cell device.