A three dimensional electrode structure having a first layer of interdigitated stripes of material oriented in a first direction, and a second layer of interdigitated stripes of material oriented in a second direction residing on the first layer of interdigitated stripes of material. A method of manufacturing a three dimensional electrode structure includes depositing a first layer of interdigitated stripes of an active material and an intermediate material on a substrate in a first direction, and depositing a second layer of interdigitated stripes of the active material and the intermediate material on the first layer in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly in which an electrode catalyst layer is formed on a surface of an electrolyte membrane. This method includes: a drying of drying a substrate sheet to which a catalyst ink is applied, the catalyst ink containing catalyst support particles on which a catalytic metal is supported, a solvent, and an ionomer; and a heat treatment of performing a heat treatment on the substrate sheet, on which the catalyst ink is dried, after the drying at a heat treatment temperature which is equal to or higher than a glass transition temperature of the ionomer to prepare the electrode catalyst layer. The heat treatment is performed after a concentration of a solvent gas obtained by gasification of the solvent, which remains in a chamber of a heating device for performing the heat treatment, is a predetermined concentration threshold or lower.

In certain embodiments, an apparatus includes an electrolyte membrane layer (EML), and includes a first electrode catalyst layer (ECL) and a first metallic gas diffusion layer (MGDL) positioned to a first side of the EML such that the first ECL is positioned between the first MGDL and the EML. The first MGDL includes a metal-containing layer and a coating of porous material disposed on a surface of the metal-containing layer of the first MGDL that faces the first ECL. The apparatus further includes a second ECL and a second MGDL positioned to the second side of the EML such that the second ECL is positioned between the second MGDL and the EML. The second MGDL includes a metal-containing layer and a coating of porous material disposed on a surface of the metal-containing layer of the second MGDL that faces the second ECL.

A free-standing electrically conductive porous structure suitable to be used as a cathode of a battery, including an electrically conductive porous substrate with sulfur diffused into the electrically conductive porous substrate to create a substantially uniform layer of sulfur on a surface of the electrically conductive porous substrate. The free-standing electrically conductive porous structure has a high performance when used in a rechargeable battery. A method of manufacturing the electrically conductive porous structure is also provided.

A catalyst carrier production process includes a step (a) of mixing a transition metal compound (1), a nitrogen-containing organic compound (2), and a solvent to provide a catalyst carrier precursor solution; a step (b) of removing the solvent from the catalyst carrier precursor solution; and a step (c) of thermally treating a solid residue obtained in the step (b) at a temperature of 500 to 1100 C. to provide a catalyst carrier; wherein the transition metal compound (1) is partly or wholly a compound including a transition metal element (M1) selected from the group 4 and 5 elements of the periodic table as a transition metal element; and at least one of the transition metal compound (1) and the nitrogen-containing organic compound (2) includes an oxygen atom.

Disclosed is a process for the manufacture of a catalyst-coated membrane-seal assembly, including: (i) providing a carrier material; (ii-i) forming a first layer, the first layer being formed by: (a) depositing a first catalyst component onto the carrier material such that the first catalyst component is deposited in discrete regions; (b) drying the first layer; (ii-ii) forming a second layer, the second layer being formed by: (a) depositing a first seal component, such that the first seal component provides a picture frame pattern having a continuous region and void regions, the continuous region including second seal component and the void regions being free from second seal component; (b) depositing a first ionomer component onto the first layer, such that the first ionomer component is deposited in discrete regions; and (c) drying the second layer.

Disclosed is, inter alia, a method of producing a platinum alloy catalyst using a carbon protective layer. The method includes depositing a transition metal precursor on a Pt/C catalyst including a platinum component and a carbon carrier, placing carbon at the bottom of a reactor separately from the transition metal precursor-deposited Pt/C catalyst by a separation membrane; performing heat treatment on the inside of the; forming a Pt-M/C catalyst coated with a carbon protective layer by passing a gas product generated through thermal decomposition of the placed carbon through the separation membrane, and removing the carbon protective layer from the Pt-M/C catalyst by performing acid treatment on the carbon protective layer coated on the Pt-AMC catalyst.

Disclosed is a nanotubular intermetallic compound catalyst for a positive electrode of a lithium air battery and a method of preparing the same. In particular, a porous nanotubular intermetallic compound is simply prepared using electrospinning in which a dual nozzle is used, and, by using the same as a catalyst, a lithium air battery having enhanced discharge capacity, charge/discharge efficiency and lifespan is provided.

A three dimensional electrode structure having a first layer of interdigitated stripes of material oriented in a first direction, and a second layer of interdigitated stripes of material oriented in a second direction residing on the first layer of interdigitated stripes of material. A method of manufacturing a three dimensional electrode structure includes depositing a first layer of interdigitated stripes of an active material and an intermediate material on a substrate in a first direction, and depositing a second layer of interdigitated stripes of the active material and the intermediate material on the first layer in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

The present disclosure provides approaches for increasing the adhesion of a catalyst ink on a substrate, use of binders within an electrode ink to enhance coating uniformity, incorporating pore-forming agents within an electrode ink, approaches for growing an electrode on a reinforcement layer, increasing the electrochemically active surface area, and incorporation of certain materials in an electrode ink. The present disclosure also relates to electrodes for electrochemical cells, including area-scalable electrodes designed for high-speed manufacturing. The materials, devices and methods described herein may apply to either one or both of an anode or a cathode electrode for an electrochemical cell.