A direct alcohol fuel cell having an inner housing, and a proton exchange membrane separating an anode section from a cathode section. The anode section contains an anode collection element electrically connected to an anode catalyst that is in diffusive communication with a fuel supply. The cathode section contains a cathode collection element having one or more ventilation holes is electrically connected to a cathode catalyst. An oleophobic filter and/or an anion-exchange membrane is provided, which cathode catalyst via the one or more ventilation holes and the oleophobic filter and/or the anion-exchange membrane is in diffusive communication with a gaseous oxidant. The inner housing has a bottom and walls extending from the bottom to contain the anode section, the PEM and the cathode section, the bottom and/or the walls having holes allowing fluid communication from a fuel supply to the anode section. The fuel cell is suited for microelectronic devices.

A direct alcohol fuel cell having an inner housing, and a proton exchange membrane separating an anode section from a cathode section. The anode section contains an anode collection element electrically connected to an anode catalyst that is in diffusive communication with a fuel supply. The cathode section contains a cathode collection element having one or more ventilation holes is electrically connected to a cathode catalyst. An oleophobic filter and/or an anion-exchange membrane is provided, which cathode catalyst via the one or more ventilation holes and the oleophobic filter and/or the anion-exchange membrane is in diffusive communication with a gaseous oxidant. The inner housing has a bottom and walls extending from the bottom to contain the anode section, the PEM and the cathode section, the bottom and/or the walls having holes allowing fluid communication from a fuel supply to the anode section. The fuel cell is suited for microelectronic devices.

The present disclosure is directed towards the design of electrochemical cells for use in high pressure or high differential pressure operations. The electrochemical cells of the present disclosure have non-circular external pressure boundaries, i.e., the cells have non-circular profiles. In such cells, the internal fluid pressure during operation is balanced by the axial tensile forces developed in the bipolar plates, which prevent the external pressure boundaries of the cells from flexing or deforming. That is, the bipolar plates are configured to function as tension members during operation of the cells. To function as an effective tension member, the thickness of a particular bipolar plate is determined based on the yield strength of the material selected for fabricating the bipolar plate, the internal fluid pressure in the flow structure adjacent to the bipolar plate, and the thickness of the adjacent flow structure.

The present disclosure is directed towards the design of electrochemical cells for use in high pressure or high differential pressure operations. The electrochemical cells of the present disclosure have non-circular external pressure boundaries, i.e., the cells have non-circular profiles. In such cells, the internal fluid pressure during operation is balanced by the axial tensile forces developed in the bipolar plates, which prevent the external pressure boundaries of the cells from flexing or deforming. That is, the bipolar plates are configured to function as tension members during operation of the cells. To function as an effective tension member, the thickness of a particular bipolar plate is determined based on the yield strength of the material selected for fabricating the bipolar plate, the internal fluid pressure in the flow structure adjacent to the bipolar plate, and the thickness of the adjacent flow structure.

A bead-type separator for a fuel cell includes a reaction surface disposed at a center of the separator and for reacting a flowing reaction gas, a diffusion part disposed at both sides of the reaction surface for diffusing the reaction gas, multiple manifold through-holes disposed in regions at both ends of the separator and introducing or discharging the reaction gas, and multiple protruding inner bead seals along a periphery of the regions in which the manifold through-holes are disposed, wherein the inner bead seals comprise a first inner bead seal disposed at the periphery of the region in which the manifold through-hole configured to discharge the reaction gas is formed, and wherein the first inner bead seal includes multiple main discharge bead flow fields protruding in tunnel shapes from a diffusion part and multiple main connection bead flow fields.

A method and a device for producing bipolar plates for fuel cells. A bipolar plate is formed by joining an anode plate to a cathode plate, wherein the anode plate and the cathode plate are formed by forming a substrate plate. In order to provide a cost-effective and automated method, it is proposed that a plate already provided with a reactive coating or catalyst coating, which is transported, automatically driven, via a transport device from the forming device to the joining device, is used as substrate plate.

A fuel cell component including a fuel cell substrate and a nitride material. The material may be a nitride compound having a chemical formula A.sub.xB.sub.yN.sub.z, where A is a metal, B is a metal different than A, N is nitrogen, x>0, y<7 and 0<z<12. The nitride compound may have a ratio of a stoichiometric factor to a reactivity factor of greater than 1.0. The stoichiometric factor indicates the reactivity of a nitride compound with chemical species as compared to a baseline nitride compound. The reactivity factor indicates the reaction enthalpy of the nitride compound and the chemical species as compared to a baseline nitride compound and the chemical species. The nitride compound may be Fe.sub.3Mo.sub.3N, Ni.sub.2Mo.sub.3N, Ni.sub.2W.sub.3N, CuNi.sub.3N, Fe.sub.3WN, Zn.sub.3Nb.sub.3N, V.sub.3Zn.sub.2N or a combination thereof. The nitride compound may be Si.sub.6Y.sub.3N.sub.11, Ni.sub.2Mo.sub.4N, Fe.sub.3Mo.sub.5N.sub.6 or a combination thereof.

A fuel cell component including a fuel cell substrate and a nitride material. The material may be a nitride compound having a chemical formula A.sub.xB.sub.yN.sub.z, where A is a metal, B is a metal different than A, N is nitrogen, x>0, y<7 and 0<z<12. The nitride compound may have a ratio of a stoichiometric factor to a reactivity factor of greater than 1.0. The stoichiometric factor indicates the reactivity of a nitride compound with chemical species as compared to a baseline nitride compound. The reactivity factor indicates the reaction enthalpy of the nitride compound and the chemical species as compared to a baseline nitride compound and the chemical species. The nitride compound may be Fe.sub.3Mo.sub.3N, Ni.sub.2Mo.sub.3N, Ni.sub.2W.sub.3N, CuNi.sub.3N, Fe.sub.3WN, Zn.sub.3Nb.sub.3N, V.sub.3Zn.sub.2N or a combination thereof. The nitride compound may be Si.sub.6Y.sub.3N.sub.11, Ni.sub.2Mo.sub.4N, Fe.sub.3Mo.sub.5N.sub.6 or a combination thereof.

[Problem] To provide a separator excellent in corrosion resistance and a sealing property for a fuel gas.

[Means for Resolution] Provided is a separator (4) for fuel cells. The separator (4) includes a conductive substrate (41), and a protective layer (42) that covers at least a part of a surface of the substrate (41). The protective layer (42) contains a self-restoring material.

[Problem] To provide a separator excellent in corrosion resistance and a sealing property for a fuel gas.

[Means for Resolution] Provided is a separator (4) for fuel cells. The separator (4) includes a conductive substrate (41), and a protective layer (42) that covers at least a part of a surface of the substrate (41). The protective layer (42) contains a self-restoring material.