A composite including an electrolyte layer containing solid oxide, and at least one electrode selected from a cathode disposed on one side of the electrolyte layer in a first direction and an anode disposed on the other side of the electrolyte layer in the first direction. Either one of two surfaces of the composite located on opposite sides in the first direction satisfies a first requirement that, as viewed in the first direction, a curvature determined on the basis of any three points juxtaposed at intervals of 5 mm is less than 0.0013 (l/mm) and that, as viewed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the curvature is the reciprocal of the radius of an imaginary circle passing through the any three points.

A proton-conductive electrochemical device and method for manufacturing the device. The device comprising a positive electrode able to reduce an oxidizing species, a negative electrode able to oxidize a reducing species, and a proton-conductive electrolyte, in contact with the positive and negative electrode. The device further comprises a layer able to diffuse protons and electrons, and forms a protective barrier against contaminants for the electrolyte. The layer is in contact with both the electrolyte and the negative electrode, and comprises a material of the type ABBO.sub.3 or a material of the type ABO.sub.3, wherein A is an element chosen from group II of the periodic table, B is an element chosen from cerium and group IVB of the periodic table, B is an element chosen from lanthanides or group VIIIB of the periodic table, and the layer has a porosity of less than 10% by volume.

A bonding method is capable of firmly bonding a greater variety of materials using an electrochemical reaction. The bonding method includes a placement step of placing an oxygen ion conductor and a conductive member that includes an oxide layer on a surface thereof in contact with each other via the oxide layer, a connection step of connecting the oxygen ion conductor to the positive electrode side of a voltage application device and connecting the conductive member to the negative electrode side of the voltage application device, and a voltage application step of applying voltage between the oxygen ion conductor and the conductive member to bond the oxygen ion conductor and the conductive member.

An air electrode material according to the present disclosure contains a plurality of composite particles, wherein each of the composite particles contains a core particle and a plurality of covering particles covering the core particle, the core particle is formed of a material with catalytic activity for an oxygen reduction reaction, the covering particles are formed of an electrically conductive material and are mechanically bonded to the core particles or other covering particles, and the median size of the core particles ranges from 100 to 1000 times the average primary particle size of the covering particles.

A method of fabricating a SSZ/SDC bi-layer electrolyte solid oxide fuel cell, comprising the steps of: fabricating an NiO-YSZ anode substrate from a mixed NiO and yttria-stabilized zirconia by tape casting; sequentially depositing a NiO-SSZ buffer layer, a thin SSZ electrolyte layer and a SDC electrolyte on the NiO-YSZ anode substrate by a particle suspension coating or spraying process, wherein the layers are co-fired at high temperature to densify the electrolyte layers to at least about 96% of their theoretical densities; and painting/spraying a SSC-SDC slurry on the SDC electrolyte to form a porous SSC-SDC cathode. A SSZ/SDC bi-layer electrolyte cell device and a method of using such device are also discussed.

Realized is an element having an electrolyte layer that is dense and has high gas barrier characteristics. A metal-supported electrochemical element includes at least a metal substrate as a support, an electrode layer formed on/over the metal substrate, a buffer layer formed on the electrode layer, and an electrolyte layer formed on the buffer layer. The electrode layer is porous and the electrolyte layer is dense. The buffer layer has density higher than density of the electrode layer and lower than density of the electrolyte layer.

Realized is an element having an electrolyte layer that is dense and has high gas barrier characteristics. A metal-supported electrochemical element includes at least a metal substrate as a support, an electrode layer formed on/over the metal substrate, a buffer layer formed on the electrode layer, and an electrolyte layer formed on the buffer layer. The electrode layer is porous and the electrolyte layer is dense. The buffer layer has density higher than density of the electrode layer and lower than density of the electrolyte layer.

A method for driving a solid oxide fuel cell including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte provided between the anode and the cathode.

Herein discussed is an electrode comprising a copper or copper oxide phase and a ceramic phase, wherein the copper or copper oxide phase and the ceramic phase are sintered and are inter-dispersed with one another. Further discussed herein is a method of making a copper-containing electrode comprising: (a) forming a dispersion comprising ceramic particles and copper or copper oxide particles; (b) depositing the dispersion onto a substrate to form a slice; and (c) sintering the slice using electromagnetic radiation.

A fuel cell electrode comprises a three-dimensional porous composite structure comprising a porous structure comprising a plurality of metal ligaments and a plurality of pores; and at least one carbon nanotube structure embedded in the porous structure and comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes joined end to end by van der Waals attractive force, wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes are arranged along a same direction.