The invention includes a method of making a catalytic electrode for a metal-air cell in which a carbon-catalyst composite is produced by heating a manganese compound in the presence of a particulate carbon material to form manganese oxide catalyst on the surfaces of the particulate carbon, and then adding virgin particulate carbon material to the carbon-catalyst composite to produce a catalytic mixture that is formed into a catalytic layer. A current collector and an air diffusion layer are added to the catalytic layer to produce the catalytic electrode. The catalytic electrode can be combined with a separator and a negative electrode in a cell housing including an air entry port through which air from outside the container can reach the catalytic electrode.

The present invention relates to an electrode catalyst for a fuel cell that includes a carbon support (11) having pores (13) and catalyst particles containing platinum or a platinum alloy supported on the carbon support (11). The pores (13) of the carbon support (11) have a mode size of pores (13) in a range of 2.1 nm to 5.1 nm. A total pore volume of the pores (13) of the carbon support (11) is in a range of 21 cm.sup.3/g to 35 cm.sup.3/g. A distance between the catalyst particles and a surface of the carbon support (11) is in a range of 2.0 nm to 12 nm as a distance of a 50% cumulative frequency.

A versatile, highly scalable single step method is provided for depositing a metallic Pd film from low temperature combustion of an aqueous solution. By using only palladium nitrate and glycine as precursors, water as a solvent, mirror-bright dense Pd films with high crystallinity and good adhesion can be deposited at 250 C. on different substrates without subsequent annealing. The technique can be used to form a reusable catalytic flask as illustrated by the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction, where the Pd film uniformly covers the inner walls of the flask and eliminates the catalyst separation step.

A carbon material for a catalyst carrier of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell a porous carbon material with a three-dimensionally branched three-dimensional dendritic structure, has a branch diameter of 81 nm or less, and simultaneously satisfies conditions (A) and (B) whereby: (A) a BET specific surface area S.sub.BET is from 400 to 1500 m.sup.2/g; and (B) with respect to a relationship between a mercury pressure P.sub.Hg and a mercury absorption amount V.sub.Hg measured by mercury porosimetry, an increment V.sub.Hg:4.3-4.8 of the measured mercury absorption amount V.sub.Hg is from 0.82 to 1.50 cc/g in a case in which the common logarithm Log P.sub.Hg of the mercury pressure P.sub.Hg has increased from 4.3 to 4.8. A method of producing this kind of a carbon material for a catalyst carrier is also provided.

The invention includes a method of making a catalytic electrode for a metal-air cell in which a carbon-catalyst composite is produced by heating a manganese compound in the presence of a particulate carbon material to form manganese oxide catalyst on the surfaces of the particulate carbon, and then adding virgin particulate carbon material to the carbon-catalyst composite to produce a catalytic mixture that is formed into a catalytic layer. A current collector and an air diffusion layer are added to the catalytic layer to produce the catalytic electrode. The catalytic electrode can be combined with a separator and a negative electrode in a cell housing including an air entry port through which air from outside the container can reach the catalytic electrode.

The invention relates to a catalyst which is suitable for use in an anode of a fuel cell. The catalyst comprises (i) nickel metal and (ii) at least one metal selected from transition metals and may optionally also comprise (iii) at least one metal selected from alkaline earth metals. Metals (i), (ii) and, if present, (iii) are supported on (iv) a finely divided electrically conductive carrier. The weight ratio (i):((ii)+(iii)) is at least 3:1.

To provide an electrocatalyst for fuel cells, which is configured to ensure both the initial performance and durability of fuel cells. An electrocatalyst for fuel cells, wherein the electrocatalyst comprises a carbon support including a mesopore and a catalyst alloy supported on the carbon support, and the catalyst alloy is a catalyst alloy of platinum and a transition metal; wherein the mesopore includes at least one throat; wherein an average effective diameter of the at least one throat is 1.8 nm or more and less than 3.2 nm; and wherein a transition metal ratio of the catalyst alloy supported on a deeper-side region than the at least one throat, is lower than the transition metal ratio of the catalyst alloy supported on a nearer-side region than the at least one throat.

A method of forming a platinum on carbon (Pt/C) catalyst, comprising the steps of: impregnating a carbon substrate made of carbon materials with an aqueous Pt ion containing solution; drying the impregnated substrate; and scribing the surface of the substrate in-situ with a laser beam by moving the beam over the surface in order to vaporize the carbon materials and redeposited them as nano sized carbon particles onto the carbon substrate. As a result, the heat generated in situ from the laser process reduces Pt salt particles dispersed on the surface into Pt (0). This avoids the slurry preparation, tape casting and drying procedure of the prior art and results in reduced manufacturing times and a better product.

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a solid oxide electrolyte, an anode disposed on a first side of the electrolyte and a cathode disposed on an opposing second side of the electrolyte. The anode includes a ceramic phase and a metallic phase including a Ni catalyst and a dopant including Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mo, Re, Rh, Ru, Sr, W, or any combination thereof.

A method for producing a catalyst-coated three-dimensionally structured electrode includes synthesizing a mesoporous catalyst coating onto a three-dimensionally structured metal substrate by first generating a suspension from a template, a metal precursor, and a solvent and then applying the suspension as a film to the three-dimensionally structured metal substrate. The three-dimensionally structured metal substrate is then dried so that the solvent within the suspension film evaporates and a layer of a catalyst precursor with integrated template structure is obtained. The three-dimensionally structured metal substrate comprising catalyst precursors is then subjected to a thermal treatment so that a mesoporous catalyst coating is created. The invention additionally relates to an electrode produced by the above method and also to an electrochemical cell comprising such an electrode.