An electrode catalyst for an Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) is provided that includes a transition metal nitride layer on a substrate, an ORR surface oxide layer deposited on the transition metal nitride layer, where the ORR surface oxide layer includes from sub-monolayer to 20 surface oxide monolayers.

This invention provides an electrochemical system for manufacturing methanol from methane in good yields and without admixtures of methanol oxidation products. A fuel cell for methane or methanol utilization is also provided.

The present subject matter relates generally to the derivatization of highly-aligned carbon nanotube sheet substrates with one or more transition metal centers and to uses of the resulting metal-derivatized CNT sheet substrates.

A method for forming catalyst particles, each of which has a core/shell structure, by a Cu-UPD method. Namely, a method of manufacturing a catalyst wherein catalyst particles, each of which has a core/shell structure composed of a shell layer that is formed of platinum and a core particle that is covered with the shell layer and is formed of a metal other than platinum, are supported on a carrier. This method is characterized by comprising: an electrolysis step wherein the carrier supporting the core particles is electrolyzed in an electrolytic solution containing copper ions, so that copper is precipitated on the surfaces of the core particles; and a substitution reaction step wherein a platinum compound solution is brought into contact with the core particles, on which copper has been precipitated, so that the copper on the surface of each core particle is substituted by platinum, thereby forming a shell layer that is formed of platinum. This method is further characterized in that the platinum compound solution in the substitution reaction step contains citric acid.

An electrodeposition installation with active intercell bars that has at least three cells connected or capable of being connected in series between the positive pole and the negative pole of a rectifier is disclosed. Several active intercell bars installed between the cells and at the ends of the installation, each having a common conductive body with multiple busbar segments, one for each electrode electrically insulated, but independently electrically connectable to the common conductive body or to an extension cable by switches controlled from a microcomputer with remote communication capacity. The invention affords the advantage of providing a conventional plant with secure protection of electrodes against short circuits with complete management of production by complete monitoring of the process in real time, and with a greater production capacity by the internal depolarisation of the electrodes.

A method for forming an adherent metal based nanoparticle material layer upon a substrate includes an electrophoretic deposition method for depositing a metal nanoparticle material layer upon the substrate. The metal nanoparticle material layer may then be treated to form the adherent metal based nanoparticle material layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide material, a metal nitride material, a metal oxynitride material and a metal chalcogenide material. The method is particularly useful for fabricating a battery electrode comprising a Co.sub.3O.sub.4 nanoparticle material layer, for use within a lithium ion battery. Other applications include fuel cells, capacitors and catalytic reactors.

A method for forming an electrode catalyst layer by putting catalyst ink within an insulative container having a conductive nozzle in communication with the interior of the container and applying an electrospray voltage to the nozzle to cause electrospray of the catalyst ink through the tip end of the nozzle and thereby to form an electrode catalyst layer, the method includes preparing catalyst ink containing a mixture of at least electrode catalyst, polymer electrolyte binder and volatile organic compound and/or water, putting the catalyst ink within the container with a space remaining inside thereof and air-tightly sealing the container, and electrospraying with the space inside of the air-tightly sealed container being conditioned to have a negative pressure of a level at which the catalyst ink cannot drip off from the nozzle.

Methods to improve redox flow battery performance with improved CE, reduced electrolyte solution crossover, and simplified solution refreshing process have been developed. The methods include controlling the pre-charging degree and conditions to allow high quality metal plating (ductile and uniform), for example, Fe(O), on the negative electrode. Control of the pre-charging conditions can be combined with increasing the concentration of metal ions compared to existing systems, while maintaining the same concentration in both the negative and positive electrolytes, or increasing the concentration of metal ions in the negative electrolyte so that the negative electrolyte has a higher concentration of metal ions than the positive electrolyte.

An apparatus is provided according to embodiments of the present invention which includes a reaction chamber having a wall defining an interior of the reaction chamber and an exterior of the reaction chamber; exoelectrogenic bacteria disposed in the interior of the reaction chamber; an aqueous medium having a pH in the range of 3-9, inclusive, the aqueous medium including an organic substrate oxidizable by exoelectrogenic bacteria and the medium disposed in the interior of the reaction chamber. An inventive apparatus further includes an anode at least partially contained within the interior of the reaction chamber; and a brush or mesh cathode including stainless steel, nickel or titanium, the cathode at least partially contained within the interior of the reaction chamber.

A method of making a catalyst layer of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell includes the step of preparing a porous buckypaper layer comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon nanofibers and carbon nanotubes. Platinum group metal nanoparticles are deposited in a liquid solution on an outer surface of the buckypaper to create a platinum group metal nanoparticle buckypaper. A proton conducting electrolyte is deposited on the platinum group metal nanoparticles by electrophoretic deposition to create a proton-conducting layer on the an outer surface of the platinum nanoparticles. An additional proton-conducting layer is deposited by contacting the platinum group metal nanoparticle buckypaper with a liquid proton-conducting composition in a solvent. The platinum group metal nanoparticle buckypaper is dried to remove the solvent. A membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is also disclosed.