A multi-faceted zinc-air electrochemical cell design holistically leverages interactions between components, especially with respect to conductive carbons from differing sources, lamination and the resulting impact it has on the air electrode's surface and other additives that impact the relative hydrophilicity of the membrane and/or performance of the anode, to improve the overall reliability and performance of the resulting battery.

A mesh-shaped, porous electric current density distributor is for use with an electrode, and is adapted for providing electric current to an active layer of the electrode. The active layer contacts a face of the current density distributor, and the current density distributor includes a porous mesh having several electrically conductive paths. At least part of the electrically conductive paths extend along a direction of major current flow over the current density distributor. The porous mesh includes in a direction crosswise to the direction of major electric current flow, several paths of an electric insulator. The current carrying capacity of the current density distributor in crosswise direction to the major current flow over the current density distributor is smaller than the current carrying capacity in the direction along the major current flow over the current density distributor.

A membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane stacked between different electrodes, wherein an ionomer layer of the electrolyte membrane comprises an adjacent electrode, a first layer having at least a same cross-sectional area as that of the adjacent electrode, a reinforcing layer and a second layer stacked at a side of the first layer, the second layer having at least the same cross-sectional area as that of the reinforcing layer.

A method for manufacturing a metal plate including a rolling step for rolling a metal material provided with a penetration space passing through the metal material in a thickness direction to reduce the thickness of the metal material and reduce the area of a surface opening formed in the surface of the metal material by the penetration space, thereby producing a plate-like metal plate.

A method of manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and a catalyst layer-formed gas diffusion layer bonded to the electrolyte membrane, the method including: a liquid application step of applying, in the atmosphere, a liquid to only a surface of the catalyst layer before bonding; and a thermocompression bonding step of bonding, to the electrolyte membrane, the catalyst layer-formed gas diffusion layer to which the liquid is applied, by thermocompression bonding. Provided is a method of manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly including a polymer electrolyte membrane and a catalyst layer-formed gas diffusion layer bonded to the polymer electrolyte membrane, in which the manufacturing method can achieve both the relaxation of thermocompression bonding conditions and the improvement of adhesion between the catalyst layer-formed gas diffusion layer and the electrolyte membrane with high productivity.

An electrolyte membrane with a backsheet is sent out from an electrolyte membrane unwinding roller, and is separated with its second side sucked on a suction roller by a first press roller. While the electrolyte membrane from which the backsheet has been separated is transported with the electrolyte membrane sucked and supported on the suction roller, an electrode ink is applied to a first side of the electrolyte membrane to form an electrode ink layer, which is dried by blowing hot air thereto to form a catalyst layer. Thereafter, in a state in which the outer surface of a second press roller disposed close to the suction roller is in contact with and supported on the first side of the electrolyte membrane, a support film is pressed against the second side of the electrolyte membrane by a third press roller and attached thereto to manufacture a catalyst-coated membrane.

The present invention relates to an electrode coating apparatus that is capable of adjusting a temperature of electrode slurry. Also, the electrode coating apparatus for applying electrode slurry to an electrode collector includes a storage part storing the electrode slurry, a discharge part discharging the electrode slurry stored in the storage part to the electrode collector, and a heating part heating the discharge part.

A device for manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell may include top and bottom side bonding rolls respectively disposed above and below a transfer path through which an electrolyte membrane and top and bottom electrode films transferred with a predetermined line speed, one of the top side and bottom side bonding rolls provided reciprocally movable in a vertical direction through a first driving source, and transfer anode and cathode catalyst electrode layers of the top and bottom electrode films to top and bottom sides of the electrolyte membrane while compressing the top and bottom electrode films; film rewinders provided above and below the transfer path to rewind the top and bottom electrode films; and a compulsive driving roll provided in a rewinding path of an electrode film rewound by one of the film rewinders and selectively compulsively feeding the electrode film with a predetermined driving speed.

The invention relates to a method for fabricating nanowires and a method for fabricating an electrode of an electrochemical device. The nanowire fabrication method according to the invention comprises: a) a step of depositing, on one of the faces of the matrix comprising hole openings, at least one porous layer, having a porosity equal to or higher than 26% by volume, of nanoparticles of a conductive material having their smallest dimension at least equal to the diameter of the holes in the matrix, the nanoparticles being in electrical contact with one another, b) growing the nanowires in the holes of the matrix, and c) removing the matrix. The invention has an application in the field of electrochemical devices in particular.

A method of producing an assembly including a polymer electrolyte membrane includes a step of preliminary pressure application wherein a pressure is continuously applied to a recipient sheet including a polymer electrolyte membrane and an assembling sheet including an assembling layer to be assembled to at least one surface of the recipient sheet, the pressure being applied to the recipient sheet and the assembling layer of the assembling sheet being in contact with each other, and a step of heated pressure application wherein the recipient sheet and the assembling sheet after the preliminary pressure application step are subjected to continuous pressure application with heating.