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 of treating a carbon electrode includes heat treating a carbon-based electrode in an environment that is above approximately 325 C. and that includes an oxidizing gas, and prior to use of the carbon-based electrode in an electro-chemical battery device, soaking the carbon-based electrode in an oxidizer solution.

Provided is a catalyst for solid polymer fuel cell that exhibits excellent initial activity and favorable durability and a method for manufacturing the same. The invention is a catalyst for solid polymer fuel cell which is formed by supporting catalyst particles including platinum, cobalt and manganese on a carbon powder carrier, wherein a composition ratio (molar ratio) among platinum, cobalt and manganese in the catalyst particles is Pt:Co:Mn=1:0.06 to 0.39:0.04 to 0.33, a peak intensity ratio of a CoMn alloy appearing in the vicinity of 2=27 is 0.15 or less with respect to a main peak appearing in the vicinity of 2=40 in X-ray diffraction analysis of the catalyst particles, and a fluorine compound having a CF bond is supported at least on the surface of the catalyst particles. The amount of the fluorine compound supported is preferably from 3 to 20% with respect to the entire mass of the catalyst.

A method for forming a carbon supported catalyst includes a step of providing a first carbon supported catalyst having a platinum-group metal supported on a first carbon support. Characteristically, the first carbon support has a first average micropore diameter and a first average carbon surface area. The first carbon supported catalyst is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas at a temperature less than about 450 C. for a predetermined period of time to form a second carbon supported catalyst, wherein the first carbon support or the second carbon supported catalyst is acid leached.

Disclosed are a nickel/nickel hydroxide electrode catalyst, a preparation method thereof and an application thereof, the catalyst includes a porous matrix structure and a nanosheet, where the nanosheet is doped in the porous matrix structure, a mass percentage of the porous matrix structure is 95%-99%, a mass percentage of the nanosheet is 1%-5%, and a mass density of the nanosheet is 12-15 mg/cm.sup.2; and the porous matrix structure is nickel, and the nanosheet is nickel hydroxide in configuration. The present disclosure develops an electrode catalyst with higher catalytic efficiency and a simpler preparation method based on the Ni-based catalysts to achieve efficient application of hydrogen energy.

A method for producing a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell comprising a proton exchange polymer membrane, catalyst layers, and first and second gas diffusion layers, the method comprising the following steps: a) forming a catalytic layer coating on a first surface of the membrane, the opposite surface being supported by a spacer; b) forming a catalytic layer coating on a first surface of the first gas diffusion layer; c) bringing the first surface of the first gas diffusion layer into contact with the surface opposite to the said first surface of the membrane, after removing the spacer, and bringing the first surface of the membrane into contact with a surface of the second gas diffusion layer.

An electrode catalyst of the present invention contains an electrically conductive material carrying a metal or a metal oxide, and has an electrical conductivity at 30 C. of 110.sup.13 Scm.sup.1 or more.

A method for producing a metal composite oxide, the method including steps of: preparing a slurry by mixing different kinds of metal compounds in a powder form, a dispersion medium, and a dispersant, and baking the different kinds of metal compounds after the dispersion medium in the slurry is removed. The slurry further includes a polyalkylene oxide having a viscosity average molecular weight of 150,000 or more. The slurry has a viscosity of 10 mPa.Math.s to 2000 mPa.Math.s, the viscosity being measured using a B-type viscometer under conditions of a temperature of 23 C. to 27 C. and a rotation rate of 60 rpm. According to the production method, a slurry in which different kinds metal compound powders are uniformly dispersed and a precipitate is unlikely to be formed can be obtained. Therefore, a metal composite oxide having a desired composition can be obtained.

Disclosed is a membrane-electrode assembly having increased active area, improved fluid management capability, and decreased gas transfer resistance due to electrodes having patterned structures on both sides. Also disclosed are a method for manufacturing same, and a fuel cell comprising same. A membrane-electrode assembly according to the present invention comprises: a first electrode; a second electrode; and a polymer electrolyte membrane between the first and second electrodes, wherein the first electrode has a first surface facing the polymer electrolyte membrane and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface having a first patterned structure, and the second surface having a second patterned structure.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a catalyst-coated ion-conducting membrane for an electrochemical cell, the method comprising: providing an ion-conducting membrane, an electrocatalyst layer, and a masking layer between the ion-conducting membrane and the electrocatalyst layer, wherein the masking layer comprises one or more aperture(s) to provide one or more exposed region(s) and one or more non-exposed region(s) of the electrocatalyst layer; and contacting the layers such that the one or more exposed region(s) of the electrocatalyst layer are transferred onto the ion-conducting membrane and the masking layer prevents the one or more non-exposed region(s) of the electrocatalyst layer from being transferred onto the ion-conducting membrane.