A membrane-electrode assembly producing apparatus and membrane-electrode assembly producing method are provided which can increase the bonding strength between a polymer electrolyte film and a catalyst layer and which can produce a high-quality membrane-electrode assembly without a formation of wrinkle through a hot roll technique. An apparatus includes pre-heating unit for pre-heating a catalyst-layer supporting base material 12 that supports the catalyst layer on a surface of a transfer base material, and the polymer electrolyte film 10, thermal pressure bonding unit for heating and pressing the catalyst-layer supporting base material 12 and the polymer electrolyte film 10 to form an integrated joined member 14, and peeling unit for peeling the transfer base material 16 from the joined member 14.

Two active cell structures are prepared each comprising anode/electrolyte/cathode layers, each anode and cathode layer having embedded spaced-apart physical structures therein. Two interconnect sublayers are prepared, each comprising a layer of non-conductive material with holes formed therein and a conductor layer formed on one surface. The sublayers are placed together with the conductor layers in contact and with the holes offset to form an interconnect layer, which is then stacked between the two active cell structures. The multi-layer stack is laminated together and the anode layer of one active cell structure and the cathode layer of the other active cell structure fill the adjacent holes in the interconnect layer. The physical structures are pulled out to reveal embedded gas passages, and the multi-layer stack is sintered to form two active cells connected in series by the interconnect layer.

A catalyst layer including: (i) a platinum-containing electrocatalyst; (ii) an oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalyst; (iii) one or more carbonaceous materials selected from the group consisting of graphite, nanofibres, nanotubes, nanographene platelets and low surface area, heat-treated carbon blacks wherein the one or more carbonaceous materials do not support the platinum-containing electrocatalyst; and (iv) a proton-conducting polymer and its use in an electrochemical device are disclosed.

An electrode catalyst ink composition which includes metal oxide-based electrode catalyst particles, an electrolyte, and a mixed liquid medium, wherein the mixed liquid medium contains 40 to 85% by mass of water; 5 to 30% by mass of an aqueous solvent (A) that has an evaporation rate of 2.0 or lower when the evaporation rate of water at 25 C. is 1, and a solubility parameter (SP value) of not less than 9; and 10 to 30% by mass of a monoalcohol (B) that has an evaporation rate of higher than 2.0 when the evaporation rate of water at 25 C. is 1, and not more than 3 carbon atoms, provided that the total amount of the mixed liquid medium is 100% by mass.

The present invention provides a method of preparing a catalyst material, said catalyst material comprising a support material and an electrocatalyst dispersed on the support material: said method comprising the steps: i) providing a support material; then ii) 10 depositing a silicon oxide precursor on the support material; then iii) carrying out a heat treatment step to convert the silicon oxide precursor to silicon oxide; then iv) depositing said electrocatalyst or a precursor of said electrocatalyst on the support material; then v) removal of at least some of the silicon oxide.

A method for producing a membrane electrode assembly includes: a first step of disposing a transfer member including a gasket layer on an upper surface of a support base material; a second step of forming an electrode catalyst layer by coating an ink onto a portion of the upper surface of the support base material, exposed from the transfer member to form a layered body having the support base material, the transfer member, and the electrode catalyst layer; and a third step of pressing the layered body against a polymer electrolyte membrane having a contact surface to compression bond the gasket layer and the electrode catalyst layer to the contact surface.

A method for producing a catalyst-coated polymer membrane for an electrolyser and/or a fuel cell includes steps including providing a glass-ceramic substrate and synthesizing a mesoporous catalyst layer on the glass-ceramic substrate. The steps include pressing a polymer membrane onto the glass-ceramic substrate coated with the catalyst layer at a first temperature T.sub.1, thereby producing a sandwich structure. The steps further include separating the sandwich structure. The catalyst layer is separated from the glass-ceramic substrate and adheres to the polymer membrane.

Hybrid electrocatalyst layers for use in an electrochemical cell and processes for making the same are described. The hybrid electrocatalyst layers include at least one ion-conducting layer and at least one nonionic conductive catalyst layer. The processes for making the hybrid electrocatalyst layers include a sintering step, which provides greater durability of the hybrid electrocatalyst layers.

Hybrid electrocatalyst layers for use in an electrochemical cell and processes for making the same are described. The hybrid electrocatalyst layers include at least one ion-conducting layer and at least one nonionic conductive catalyst layer. The processes for making the hybrid electrocatalyst layers include a sintering step, which provides greater durability of the hybrid electrocatalyst layers.

The present disclosure relates to a composite electrolyte membrane and a method of manufacturing the same. A catalyst composite layer in the composite electrolyte membrane uniformly includes a catalyst and an antioxidant, whereby it is possible to inhibit generation of hydrogen peroxide by side reaction. In addition, the catalyst composite layer is formed as a separate layer, whereby the catalyst composite layer is instead degraded, greatly inhibiting membrane degradation even in the case in which radicals attack an ionomer due to small side reaction. Furthermore, it is possible to control the position of the catalyst composite layer including the catalyst and the antioxidant by adjusting the thicknesses of a second ion exchange layer and the catalyst composite layer, whereby it is possible to protect a specific degradation position, and therefore it is possible to efficiently improve membrane durability.