There is provided a process for the manufacture of a membrane electrode assembly, a membrane electrode assembly obtainable by such a process, and a fuel cell comprising such a membrane electrode assembly. The electrode is provided by applying a layer of a first electrode first composition on an electrolyte membrane and a layer of a first electrode second composition to the same side of the electrolyte membrane as the first electrode first composition and then heating. The weight ratio of ion exchange material to catalyst in the first electrode first composition is greater than the weight ratio of ion exchange material to first catalyst in the first electrode second composition.

The invention relates to a method for producing a membrane electrode assembly (10) for a fuel cell, comprising the following steps in the order given: provide two gas diffusion layers (13) that each have a catalytically coated surface; apply an ionomer dispersion (15a) onto the coated surface of at least one of the gas diffusion electrodes (13), arrange the gas diffusion layers (13) on each other such that the coated surfaces face each other, and a layer stack (18) comprising a gas diffusion layer (13)-catalytic coating (14)-ionomer coating (15)-catalytic coating (14)-gas diffusion layer (13) arises, and arrange a peripheral seal (17) around the layer stack (18), wherein the seal (17) has a height that at least corresponds to the height of the layer stack (18).

Furthermore, the invention relates to a membrane electrode assembly (10) that is or can be produced by means of the method according to the invention.

A process for preparing a catalyst material, said catalyst material comprising a support material, a first metal and one or more second metals, wherein the first metal and the second metal(s) are alloyed and wherein the first metal is a platinum group metal and the second metal(s) is selected from the group of transition metals and tin provided the second metal(s) is different to the first metal is disclosed. The process comprises depositing a silicon oxide before or after deposition of the second metal(s), alloying the first and second metals and subsequently removing silicon oxide. A catalyst material prepared by this process is also disclosed.

A microbial fuel cell (100) includes: a positive electrode (10, 10A); a negative electrode (20) that holds microorganisms; and an electrolysis solution (70). The positive electrode includes: an electric conductor layer (1): a porous body layer (2) that is laminated on the electric conductor layer and supports a catalyst (3) therein; and a water-repellent layer (4) that is laminated on a surface (1b) of the electric conductor layer, which is opposite of a surface (1a) thereof in contact with the porous body layer, or a surface (2b) of the porous body layer, which is opposite of a surface (2a) thereof in contact with the electric conductor layer. Then, the porous body layer and the negative electrode are immersed in the electrolysis solution, and at least a part of the water-repellent layer is exposed to a gas phase (90).

The present specification relates to a carrier-nanoparticle complex, a catalyst including the same, an electrochemical battery or a fuel cell including the catalyst, and a method for preparing the same.

A fuel cell and a membrane electrode assembly used therein. The membrane electrode assembly is a three-dimensional membrane electrode assembly for fuel cell configured as a three-dimensional thin film structure in which an inner space is divided into two intertwined subvolumes by an interface, and the interface is configured as an MEA thin film and a first subvolume of the two subvolumes is provided as a channel for fuel and a second subvolume is provided as a channel for an oxidizer. The fuel cell includes a casing which accommodates the three-dimensional membrane electrode assembly therein and independently communicates with the first subvolume and the second subvolume and includes inlets and outlets for the fuel and the oxidizer.

A method of making a fuel cell including the following steps: comprising: (a) mixing carbon nanotubes (CNT) with an initial dispersion, wherein the initial dispersion includes an ionomer; (b) heating and stirring the initial dispersion to form a CNT-ionomer composite suspension; (c) after forming the CNT-ionomer composite suspension, mixing the CNT-ionomer composite suspension with an electrode catalyst solution to form an electrode ink, wherein the electrode catalyst solution includes a carbon black powder and a catalyst supported by the carbon black powder; and (d) coating a proton exchange membrane with the electrode ink to form the fuel cell electrode.

The present invention relates to a cathode for a metal-air battery, a method for manufacturing the same, and a metal-air battery including the same. The cathode comprises a needle-shaped core including two or more species of metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, iron, copper, and chrome, or a cobalt oxide; and a flake-shaped shell including an oxide containing two or more species of metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, iron, copper, and chrome or a cobalt oxide. As such, the core-shell structure may lead to a reduction in the charge voltage of the metal-air battery as well as the taking of the good capacity characteristics of the transition metal oxide. Further, according to the present invention, the cathode for a metal-air battery may be produced without adding carbon or binder.

A method for producing a fuel cell catalyst layer, which is able to allow an ionomer to sufficiently penetrate to the inside of the fine pores of a support with fine pores. The method is a method for producing a fuel cell catalyst layer in which a catalyst is supported on the support with fine pores and is coated with an ionomer, the method comprising: hydrophilizing a surface of the support by use of nitric acid, and dispersing the support, the catalyst and the ionomer by use of a ball mill after the hydrophilizing, wherein the amount of acidic functional groups per specific surface area of the support is set to 1.79 mol/m.sup.2 or more in the hydrophilizing.

The present disclosure relates to a tube-shaped catalyst complex and a catalyst slurry including the same for a fuel cell. The catalyst complex for a fuel cell comprises a tubular inner layer including an ionomer and an outer layer provided on an outer surface of the inner layer and including a catalyst.