A membrane electrode assembly comprises an anode electrode comprising an anode gas diffusion layer and an anode catalyst layer; a cathode electrode comprising a cathode gas diffusion layer and a cathode catalyst layer; and a polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer; wherein the cathode catalyst layer comprises: a first cathode catalyst sublayer adjacent the polymer electrolyte membrane, the first cathode catalyst sublayer comprising a first catalyst supported on a first carbonaceous support and a second catalyst supported on a second carbonaceous support; and a second cathode catalyst sublayer adjacent the cathode gas diffusion layer, the second cathode catalyst sublayer comprising a third catalyst supported on a third carbonaceous support; wherein the first carbonaceous support is carbon black and the second and third carbonaceous supports are graphitized carbon.

A method for forming a corrosion-resistant catalyst for fuel cell catalyst layers is provided. The method includes a step of depositing a conformal Pt or platinum alloy thin layer on NbO.sub.2 substrate particles to form Pt-coated NbO.sub.2. The Pt-coated NbO.sub.2 particles are then incorporated into a fuel cell catalyst layer.

Disclosed is a process for the manufacture of a catalyst-coated membrane-seal assembly, including: (i) providing a carrier material; (ii-i) forming a first layer, the first layer being formed by: (a) depositing a first catalyst component onto the carrier material such that the first catalyst component is deposited in discrete regions; (b) drying the first layer; (ii-ii) forming a second layer, the second layer being formed by: (a) depositing a first seal component, such that the first seal component provides a picture frame pattern having a continuous region and void regions, the continuous region including second seal component and the void regions being free from second seal component; (b) depositing a first ionomer component onto the first layer, such that the first ionomer component is deposited in discrete regions; and (c) drying the second layer.

The present application provides a method for fabricating core-shell particles, including: forming a first solution by adding a first metal salt and a first surfactant to a first solvent; forming core particles including a first metal included in the first metal salt by adding a first reducing agent to the first solution; forming a second solution by adding the core particles, a second metal salt, and a second surfactant to a second solvent; and forming core-shell particles by adding a second reducing agent to the second solution and forming shells on the surface of the core particle, in which the first surfactant and the second surfactant are polyoxyethylene, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate or polyoxyethylene oleyl ether, and core-shell particles fabricated by the method.

A catalyst layer including: (i) a platinum-containing electrocatalyst; (ii) an oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalyst; (iii) one or more carbonaceous materials selected from the group consisting of graphite, nanofibres, nanotubes, nanographene platelets and low surface area, heat-treated carbon blacks wherein the one or more carbonaceous materials do not support the platinum-containing electrocatalyst; and (iv) a proton-conducting polymer and its use in an electrochemical device are disclosed.

A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with enhanced current density or power density is fabricated using high temperature (HT) proton exchange membrane (PEM). The MEA can be utilized in high temperature PEM fuel cell applications. More specifically, the MEA is modified with the addition of one or more of selected materials to its catalyst layer to enhance the rates of the fuel cell reactions and thus attain dramatic increases of the power output of the MEA in the fuel cell. The MEA has application to other electro-chemical devices, including an electrolyzer, a compressor, or a generator, purifier, and concentrator of hydrogen and oxygen using HT PEM MEAs.

The invention relates to an electrode compartment for an electrochemical cell, including a bicontinuous micro-eulsion, wherein catalytic parts are generated in-situ in a fluid, which can act as a cathode as well as an anode. The electrode compartment comprises a connection to supply fuel or an oxidator, for example oxygen, to the compartment. The electrode compartment is part of a refreshing system with a reserve container for an emulsion and a storage container for used emulsion, conduits to connect each of the containers with the electrode compartment and a transport unit, for example a pump, to move the emulsion.

The present invention provides an oxygen evolution reaction catalyst, wherein the oxygen evolution reaction catalyst is an oxide material comprising iridium, tantalum and ruthenium: wherein the oxygen evolution catalyst comprises a crystalline oxide phase having the rutile crystal structure; wherein the crystalline oxide phase has a lattice parameter a of greater than 4.510 .

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.

The present invention provides a method of preparing an electrocatalyst ink, the method comprising a step of contacting a dispersion with a separation material.