Title: Method for providing a substrate for an electrochemical cell with a catalytic material Abstract The invention relates to a method for providing a substrate for an electrochemical cell with a catalytic material. The method comprises atomic layer deposition (ALD) that comprises providing a catalyst precursor for the catalytic material. The ALD further comprises providing a carrier precursor for forming a carrier material. The invention further relates to a substrate provided with a catalytic material and a PEM electrolysis cell comprising a substrate provided with a catalytic material.

A cathode of a battery including an electrolyte membrane, containing a first layer which contains 0.3 mg/cm.sup.2 or more and 9.0 mg/cm.sup.2 or less of a carbon catalyst; and a second layer which is arranged between the electrolyte membrane and the first layer in the battery, and which contains 0.002 mg/cm.sup.2 or more and 0.190 mg/cm.sup.2 or less of platinum. The carbon catalyst has a ratio of a mesopore volume to a total pore volume of 30% or more.

This method for producing an electrode catalyst includes: a dispersion liquid preparation step wherein a dispersion liquid is prepared by mixing (i) at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of sulfoxide compounds and amide compounds, (ii) a catalyst carrier powder composed of a metal oxide, (iii) a platinum compound, (iv) a transition metal compound and (v) an aromatic compound that contains a carboxyl group; a loading step wherein the dispersion liquid is heated so that a platinum alloy of platinum and a transition metal is loaded on the surface of the catalyst carrier powder; a solid-liquid separation step wherein a dispersoid is separated from the dispersion liquid after the loading step, thereby obtaining a catalyst powder wherein the catalyst carrier powder is loaded with the platinum alloy; and a heat treatment step wherein the catalyst powder is heated under vacuum or in a reducing gas atmosphere.

A membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that are capable of improving water release in a high current region, where a large amount of water is generated, without impairing water retention under low humidity conditions, and also capable of exhibiting high power generation performance and durability under high humidity conditions, and also reducing the production cost of the electrode catalyst layer. A membrane electrode assembly of the present embodiment includes a polymer electrolyte membrane, and a pair of electrode catalyst layers sandwiching the polymer electrolyte membrane. At least one of the pair of electrode catalyst layers contains catalyst-supporting particles having a hydrophobic coating, hydrophobic polymer fibers, and a polymer electrolyte.

Some aspects of the invention may be directed to a catalyst layer for anodes of Alkaline Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (AEMFC). Such catalyst layer may include catalyst nanoparticles and an ionomer. Each catalyst nanoparticle may include one or more nanoparticles of catalytically active metal supported on at least one nanoparticle of crystalline RuO.sub.2. The diameter of the at least one nanoparticle of the crystalline RuO.sub.2 may be about order of magnitude larger than the diameter of the one or more nanoparticles of catalytically active metal.

A fuel cell stack includes a first end region, a second end region, and a middle region. At least one of a first number of fuel cell units in the first end region is a first fuel cell unit including a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with a first catalyst material on either or both an anode and a cathode of the first fuel cell unit. At least one of a second number of fuel cell units in the second end region is a second fuel cell unit including an MEA with a second catalyst material on either or both an anode and a cathode of the first fuel cell unit. The middle region is situated between the first and the second end region. At least one of a third number of fuel cell units in the middle region is a third fuel cell unit including an MEA with a third catalyst material on either or both an anode and a cathode of the first fuel cell unit. At least one of the first, the second, and the third catalyst material are different.

The present invention relates to a catalyst composition, comprising tin oxide particles which are at least partially coated by a noble metal oxide layer, wherein the composition contains iridium and ruthenium in a total amount of from 10 wt % to 38 wt %, and all iridium and ruthenium is oxidized, —has a BET surface area of from 5 to 95 m.sup.2/g, and —has an electrical conductivity at 25° C. of at least 7 S/cm.

The invention relates to a catalyst system (9), an electrode (1) which comprises the catalyst system (9), and a fuel cell (10) or an electrolyzer having at least one such electrode (1). The catalyst system (9) comprises an electrically conductive carrier metal oxide and an electrically conductive, metal oxide catalyst material. A near-surface pH value, called pzzp value (pzzp=point of zero zeta potential), of the carrier metal oxide and the catalyst material differ. The catalyst material and the carrier metal oxide form an at least two-phase disperse oxide composite. The carrier metal oxide has a first crystal lattice structure comprising first oxygen lattice sites and first metal lattice sites, wherein the carrier metal oxide on the first oxygen lattice sites is preferably doped with at least one element from the group comprising nitrogen, carbon, and boron, and is optionally additionally doped with hydrogen. The carrier metal oxide has a second crystal lattice structure comprising second oxygen lattice sites and second metal lattice sites, wherein the catalyst material on the second oxygen lattice sites is preferably doped with fluorine and at least one element from the group comprising nitrogen, carbon and boron, and optionally additionally doped with hydrogen.

A technique may produce a composite at a low temperature by a reducing agent that is easy to handle. A technique may produce a composite in which a metal simple substance or a metal oxide derived from reduced cations, or both of them are supported on a carrier. The technique may include at least: preparing a liquid phase mixture containing at least an alcohol compound as a first reducing agent, a phosphinic acid or a salt thereof as a second reducing agent, the carrier, and a source compound of one or more cations selected including Au, Ag, Cu, Pt, Rh, Ru, Re, Pd, and/or Ir; and reducing the cations in the liquid phase mixture.

Fuel cell electrocatalysts and support structures thereof are described herein. The support structures include a suboxide core comprising an oxygen deficient metal oxide and a dopant, and an outer shell covering the suboxide core. The outer shell comprises the dopant in oxide form. The dopant of the suboxide core provides for the suboxide core to be conductive. Methods of forming fuel cell electrocatalysts and support structures thereof are also described herein.