Disclosed herein is a method of preparing an alloy catalyst for fuel cells, which is suitable for mass production and can reduce manufacturing costs. The method includes vaporizing at least two catalyst precursors in separate vaporizers; supplying the at least two vaporized catalyst precursors to a reactor while preventing contact therebetween; and synthesizing an alloy catalyst in the reactor. The method can prepare an alloy catalyst through a one-step process unlike typical multi-step methods for preparing catalysts, and can prepare an alloy catalyst at a much lower temperature than the typical methods for preparing alloys, thereby enabling mass production and cost reduction.

A polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is provided. The polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell includes a phosphoric acid-doped polyimidazole electrolyte membrane and a complex catalyst. In the complex catalyst, an alloy or mixture of a metal and a chalcogen element is supported on a carbon carrier. The polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell exhibits further improved long-term operation, power generation efficiency, and operational stability at high temperature. The complex catalyst can be produced by a simple method.

Provided is a catalyst layer for gas diffusion electrode that can be used without using carbon supports, a method for manufacturing the same, a membrane electrode assembly, and a fuel cell. The catalyst layer for gas diffusion electrode according to the present invention includes a network-like metallic catalyst formed of a sintered body, the network-like metallic catalyst including nanoparticles linked with each other to have electron conductivity; and an ion conductor, at least a part of the ion conductor contacting the network-like metallic catalyst. Further, the membrane electrode assembly according to the present invention includes a polymer electrolyte membrane provided between an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer, and the catalyst layer for gas diffusion electrode stated above is used in at least one of the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer.

A Li-air battery is provided. The battery contains: an anode compartment containing lithium or a lithium alloy as active metal; a cathode compartment supplied with an O.sub.2 source; and a lithium ion conductive membrane separating the anode compartment from the cathode compartment. The cathode compartment contains an air electrode with a skin alloy platinum or palladium catalyst.

Nanoporous oxygen reduction catalyst material comprising PtNiIr, the catalyst material preferably having the formula Pt.sub.xNi.sub.yIr.sub.z, wherein x is in a range from 26.6 to 47.8, y is in a range from 48.7 to 70, and z is in a range from 1 to 11.4. The nanoporous oxygen reduction catalyst material is useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.

Compositions, systems, and methods for producing nanoalloys and/or nanocomposites using tandem laser ablation synthesis in solution-galvanic replacement reaction (LASiS-GRR) are disclosed. The method may include disposing a first metal composition within a reaction cell, adding a quantity of a second metal composition into the reaction cell, ablating, with a laser, the first metal composition disposed in the quantity of the second metal composition within the reaction cell, and tuning one or more reaction parameter and/or one or more functional parameter during the tandem LASiS-GRR in order to tailor at least one characteristic of the metal nanoalloy and/or the metal nanocomposite.

A technology is provided that is capable of improving deterioration of a fuel cell due to non-stationary operation (startup/shutdown, fuel depletion). An anode-side catalyst composition comprising a catalyst having catalyst particles carried on electrically conductive material and an ion exchange resin, characterized in that the catalyst particle are formed of an alloy, of which oxygen reduction capability and water electrolysis are both lower than those of platinum, and which has hydrogen oxidation capability.

The present disclosure relates to a PtAu nanoparticle catalyst heat-treated in the presence of carbon monoxide (CO) and a method for preparing same. Since the Pt.sub.xAu.sub.y nanoparticle catalyst heat-treated under CO atmosphere has high Pt surface area and superior oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity, a high-efficiency, high-quality fuel cell can be achieved by applying the catalyst to a fuel cell.

A fuel cell membrane electrode assembly including a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) and first and second electrodes. The PEM is situated between the first and second electrodes. The first electrode includes a first catalyst material layer including a first catalyst material and having first and second surfaces. The first electrode includes first and second material layers adjacent to the first and second surfaces, respectively, of the first catalyst material. The first material layer faces away from the PEM and the second material layer faces the PEM. The first material layer comprises a graphene-based material layer having a number of defects configured to mitigate dissolution of the first catalyst material through the first material layer.

A low platinum catalyst and method for making same. The catalyst comprises platinum-transition metal bimetallic alloy microcrystallites over a transition metal-nitrogen-carbon composite. A method of making a catalyst comprises preparation of transition metal organic frameworks, infusion of platinum, thermal treatment, and reduction to form the microcrystallites and composite.