The present invention relates to a core-shell Fe.sub.2P@C—Fe.sub.3C electrocatalyst and a preparation method and application thereof. The core-shell Fe.sub.2P@C—Fe.sub.3C electrocatalyst comprises a carbon nanotube as a matrix which is formed by a carbon layer with FeC.sub.3 nano-dots distributed therein, and Fe.sub.2P@C embedded in the carbon nanotube. The Fe.sub.2P@C has a core-shell structure and is formed by coating Fe.sub.2P with carbon.

A battery may include an anode, a cathode positioned opposite to the anode, a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode, an electrolyte dispersed throughout the cathode and in contact with the anode, and a dual-pore system. The anode may be configured to release a plurality of lithium ions. The cathode may include a plurality of pathways defined by a plurality of porous non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles and may include a plurality of carbonaceous structures each based on a coalescence of a group of the porous non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles. The dual-pore system may be disposed in the cathode and defined in shape and orientation by the plurality of carbonaceous structures. In some aspects, the dual-pore system may be configured to receive gaseous oxygen from the ambient atmosphere.

Methods and compositions for making fuel cell components are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a substrate, and forming or adhering an electrode on the substrate, wherein the forming includes depositing an aqueous mixture comprising water, a water-insoluble component, a catalyst, and an ionomer. The water-insoluble component comprises a water-insoluble alcohol, a water-insoluble carboxylic acid, or a combination thereof. The use of such water-insoluble components results in a stable liquid medium with reduced reticulation upon drying, reduced dissolution of the substrate, and reduced penetration of the pores of the substrate.

Manufacturing apparatus, systems and method of making silicon (Si) nanowires on carbon based powders, such as graphite, that may be used as anodes in lithium ion batteries are provided. In some embodiments, an inventive tumbler reactor and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system and method for growing silicon nanowires on carbon based powders in scaled up quantities to provide production scale anodes for the battery industry are described.

An object is to provide an electrode catalyst layer, a membrane electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that can suppress decrease in durability of the membrane electrode assembly and decrease in power generation performance of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell by suppressing crack generation in the electrode catalyst layer. An electrode catalyst layer according to one aspect of the present invention is an electrode catalyst layer including at least: a catalytic substance; aggregates of polymer electrolytes; and polymer electrolyte fibers. In the electrode catalyst layer, an amount of phosphorus and an amount of platinum defined via elemental analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) satisfy a following equation (1). 0 < P/Pt≤ 3.0 ... Equation (1)

An atomically dispersed precursor (ADP) for preparing a non-platinum group metal electrocatalyst includes: sacrificial metal centers comprising a sacrificial metal selected from Cd and Zn; metal active sites comprising a transition metal; and first and second ligands linking the sacrificial metal centers and the metal active sites into a network. The ADP may be immobilized on a carbon support. The first and second ligands may comprise N-containing ligands of different carbon chain lengths. Alternatively, the first and second ligands may comprise N-containing ligands and O-containing ligands, respectively.

A composite catalyst is provided. The composite catalyst includes a first catalytic material incorporated with a second catalytic material, wherein the first catalytic material comprises carbon doped with (i) nitrogen and (ii) at least one non-precious transition metal, and wherein the second catalytic material comprises a carbon-based supporting material incorporated with platinum nanoparticles. A method of producing the composite catalyst is also provided. The method includes providing a mixture comprising the first catalytic material and the second catalytic material, and subjecting the mixture to a size reduction step. The first catalytic material and a method of producing the first catalytic material are disclosed herein.

Mesoporous carbon includes a linked structure in which carbon particles are linked. The carbon particles have primary pores and are primary particles. An average entrance diameter of the primary pores is 2.0 nm or more and 3.0 nm or less. An average constriction diameter of the primary pores is 1.6 nm or more and 2.4 nm or less. An electrode catalyst for a fuel cell includes the mesoporous carbon and catalyst particles supported in the primary pores of the mesoporous carbon. A catalyst layer includes the electrode catalyst for a fuel cell and a catalyst layer ionomer.

A membrane catalyst layer assembly includes: a PEM; and a pair of catalyst layers disposed on main surfaces of the PEM. One of the pair of catalyst layers contains: mesoporous carbon with an average particle size of 100 nm or more, the mesoporous carbon having mesopores with a mode radius of 1-25 nm and a pore volume of 1.0-3.0 cm.sup.3/g; a catalytic metal; a proton-conducting resin; and at least one type of carbon particles with a smaller average particle size than the mesoporous carbon. The one of the pair of catalyst layers has a first surface layer which is adjacent to the PEM and contains the mesoporous carbon, and a second surface layer which is opposite the PEM and contains the mesoporous carbon, a volume percentage of the mesoporous carbon in the second surface layer is lower than a volume percentage of the mesoporous carbon in the first surface layer.

Mineralization occurs during weathering of silicate materials/rocks rich in CA+ and Mg+, particularly peridotite which composes Earth's upper mantle. The carbon mineralization mantle peridotite is the base activated carbon for nanostructured-carbon-base-material. The nanostructured-carbon-base-material using mantle peridotite carbon mineralization based activated carbon nanotubes is a new catalyst for batteries and fuel-cell use that doesn't use precious metal such as platinum and that performs as effectively as many well-known, expensive precious-metal catalysts. The nanostructured-carbon-base-material using mantle peridotite carbon mineralization based activated carbon nanotubes makes possible the creation of economical lithium-air batteries that could power electric vehicles. The carbon nanotubes have useful qualities such as slim, strong, lightweight, high electronic conductivity, has metallic/semiconductive properties that are useful in (1) electronics i.e. wiring, transistor; (2) material that reinforced resin/metal; (3) energy source i.e. catalysis support, ion adsorption, capacitors; (4) nanotechnology i.e. nanostructure; and (5) biotechnology i.e. cell cultivating, drug delivery system, biosensor.