Described herein are novel alumina substrate-supported thin film SOFCs that may be produced at significantly reduced cost while providing improved robustness, high electrochemical performance, and the capability of effective carbon deposition resistance while still using Ni-cermet as an anode functional layer.

Methods of making catalyst-coated membranes are provided. Application of a first catalyst ink to first side of a proton-exchange membrane forms a first electrode coating thereon. Removal of a backing from the proton-exchange membrane exposes a second side of the proton-exchange membrane permitting application of a second catalyst ink to the exposed second side of the proton-exchange membrane to form a second electrode coating thereon. The cathode catalyst ink includes a cathode catalyst, a cathode ionomer, and a cathode solvent. The anode catalyst ink includes anode particles dispersed in an inert, fluorinated, and nonpolar solvent. The anode particles include an anode catalyst, a water electrolysis catalyst, and an anode ionomer.

An object of the present invention is to improve the performance of a metal-air battery. The metal-air battery includes an air electrode, an anode, and an electrolyte sandwiched between the air electrode and the anode. The air electrode includes a co-continuous body having a three dimensional network structure formed by an integrated plurality of nanostructures having branches. A magnesium alloy is used for the anode, and a weak acidic salt containing no chloride ion or a salt considered to have a buffering capacity is used for the electrolyte. Consequently, the present invention can efficiently utilize electrons and suppress passivation and self corrosion of the anode, thereby improving the performance of the metal-air battery.

A porous carbon-based metal catalyst, a preparation method and application thereof are provided. The preparation method includes: successively performing activation, surface corrosion, nitrogen-doping treatment and graphitization treatment on washed micro-grade porous carbon, then performing sensitization treatment, and subsequently carrying out loading, reduction and other treatments of catalytic metal, so as to finally obtain the porous carbon-based metal catalyst. The porous carbon-based metal catalyst provided by the present application has excellent catalytic performance, is especially suitable for producing hydrogen by efficiently catalytically decomposing ammonia borane, is not prone to inactivation, and is easy to regenerate after inactivation. Meanwhile, the preparation method is environmental-friendly, is suitable for large-scale production and has a wide application prospect in the fields such as hydrogen fuel batteries.

In order to provide a gas diffusion electrode medium having high thermal conductivity despite having low density and excellent both in handleability and cell performance, provided is a gas diffusion electrode medium including carbon fiber felt including carbon fibers having an average fiber diameter of 5 to 20 μm, wherein at least a part of the carbon fibers that constitute the carbon fiber felt have a flat part in which, in a plane view of a surface of the carbon fiber felt, a maximum value of a fiber diameter is observed to be 10 to 50% larger than the average fiber diameter, and a frequency of the flat parts at the surface of the carbon fiber felt is 50 to 200/mm.sup.2.

An electrode catalyst of an electrochemical device according to the present disclosure is an electrode catalyst of an electrochemical device, the electrode catalyst including a mesoporous material; and catalyst metal particles supported at least in the mesoporous material. Before supporting the catalyst metal particles, the mesoporous material includes mesopores having a mode radius of 1 to 25 nm and a pore volume of 1.0 to 3.0 cm.sup.3/g, and number density of the catalyst metal particles supported in the mesopores is lower at an outer side of the mesoporous material than number density of the catalyst metal particles supported in the mesopores at an inner side thereof.

To provide a catalyst layer that is low in gas diffusion resistance and proton resistance even when a support having a small specific surface area is used. The catalyst layer is a catalyst layer for fuel cells, wherein the catalyst layer comprises a catalyst metal, a support and a conductive additive; wherein the support supports the catalyst metal; wherein a specific surface area of the support is 600 m.sup.2/g-C or less; wherein the conductive additive does not support the catalyst metal and has a larger aspect ratio than the support; wherein the aspect ratio of the conductive additive is more than 10; wherein, when a total mass of the catalyst layer is 100 mass %, a percent of the conductive additive contained in the catalyst layer is more than 2 mass % and less than 20 mass %; and wherein the conductive additive is a non-hydrophilized conductive additive.

The invention relates to a multi-component catalyst material for use in a fuel cell or electrolysis system, in particular in a regenerative fuel cell or reversible electrolyser. According to the invention, the catalyst material comprises a doped manganese oxide, a NiFe intercalation compound and a conductive carrier material, wherein the doped manganese oxide and the NiFe intercalation compound are supported on the carrier material.

Disclosed is a catalyst slurry for fuel cells and a method for manufacturing the same in which two kinds of ionomers having different equivalent weights (EWs) are used such that the respective ionomers may be formed at positions suitable for maximally exhibiting the functions thereof.

Compositions comprised of a tin film, coated by a shell of less than 50 nm thick made of palladium and tin in a molar ratio ranging from 1:4 to 3:1, respectively, are disclosed. Uses of the compositions as an electro-catalyst e.g., in a fuel cell, and particularly for the oxidation of various materials are also disclosed.