An electrode for use in an all-iron redox flow battery is provided. In one example, the electrode may include a plastic mesh; and a coating on the plastic mesh. The coating may be a hydrophilic coating or a conductive coating and the electrode may have an electrode reaction potential is less than 0.8V. Further, a method of manufacturing a coated plastic mesh electrode for use in an all-iron redox flow battery is provided. In one example method, the steps include fabricating a plastic mesh, treating the plastic mesh by applying a solvent treatment or a plasma treatment or a mechanical abrasion treatment; coating the plastic mesh with a material selected from: carbon inks, metal oxides, and hydrophilic polymers.

An electrode for use in an all-iron redox flow battery is provided. In one example, the electrode may include a plastic mesh; and a coating on the plastic mesh. The coating may be a hydrophilic coating or a conductive coating and the electrode may have an electrode reaction potential is less than 0.8V. Further, a method of manufacturing a coated plastic mesh electrode for use in an all-iron redox flow battery is provided. In one example method, the steps include fabricating a plastic mesh, treating the plastic mesh by applying a solvent treatment or a plasma treatment or a mechanical abrasion treatment; coating the plastic mesh with a material selected from: carbon inks, metal oxides, and hydrophilic polymers.

A gas diffusion electrode for a fuel cell which comprises a gas-permeable substrate that has functional groups is provided, said groups being capable of complexing cations, and catalytically active noble metal particles and/or atoms, said particles and/or atoms being bonded by the functional groups to a surface of a first flat side of the substrate and/or in a surface-proximal region of a first flat side of the substrate. The gas diffusion electrode according to the invention combines the functions of a gas diffusion layer and a catalytic layer in an integral component and is distinguished by a high long-term stability with respect to degradation phenomena of the catalyst.

A gas diffusion layer includes conductive particles, conductive fibers, and polymer resins, in which an amount of surface functional groups in the conductive particle is 0.25 mmol/g or less.

The present disclosure relates to a process for the processing of perfluoropolymer materials, and to the use of the resultant products in different potential applications, such as in the medical device field. The process can include, for example, the steps of: (i) dissolving one or more uncured perfluoropolymer materials in a solvent containing one or more liquid perfluorinated solvent(s) to form a solution; (ii) optionally adding one or more porogens and/or one or more functional additives to the solution formed in (i) to form a mixture; (iii) applying the resultant solution or mixture formed in steps (i) and (ii) to a substrate to form one or more partial or continuous deposited layers on the substrate; (iv) curing the perfluoropolymer within the deposited layer to form a perfluoroelastomeric product; and (v) optionally removing the porogen from the perfluoroelastomeric product.

The present disclosure relates to a process for the processing of perfluoropolymer materials, and to the use of the resultant products in different potential applications, such as in the medical device field. The process can include, for example, the steps of: (i) dissolving one or more uncured perfluoropolymer materials in a solvent containing one or more liquid perfluorinated solvent(s) to form a solution; (ii) optionally adding one or more porogens and/or one or more functional additives to the solution formed in (i) to form a mixture; (iii) applying the resultant solution or mixture formed in steps (i) and (ii) to a substrate to form one or more partial or continuous deposited layers on the substrate; (iv) curing the perfluoropolymer within the deposited layer to form a perfluoroelastomeric product; and (v) optionally removing the porogen from the perfluoroelastomeric product.

Embodiments are directed to composite membranes having a microporous polymer structure, and an ion exchange material forming a continuous ionomer phase within the composite membrane. The continuous ionomer phase refers to absence of any internal interfaces in a layer of ionomer or between any number of layers coatings of the ion exchange material provided on top of one another. The composite membrane exhibits a haze change of 0% or less after being subjected to a blister test procedure. No bubbles or blisters are formed on the composite membrane after the blister test procedure. A haze value of the composite membrane is between 5% and 95%, between 10% and 90% or between 20% and 85%. The composite membrane may have a thickness of more than 17 microns at 0% relative humidity.

Embodiments are directed to composite membranes having a microporous polymer structure, and an ion exchange material forming a continuous ionomer phase within the composite membrane. The continuous ionomer phase refers to absence of any internal interfaces in a layer of ionomer or between any number of layers coatings of the ion exchange material provided on top of one another. The composite membrane exhibits a haze change of 0% or less after being subjected to a blister test procedure. No bubbles or blisters are formed on the composite membrane after the blister test procedure. A haze value of the composite membrane is between 5% and 95%, between 10% and 90% or between 20% and 85%. The composite membrane may have a thickness of more than 17 microns at 0% relative humidity.

A layered structure for a fuel cell comprises a carbon-based catalyst-free gas diffusion layer substrate and a carbon-based microporous layer, which is joined to the gas diffusion layer substrate and comprises a plurality of carbon carriers or carbon fibers embedded into an ion-conducting polymer binder mixture. The polymer binder mixture comprises a sulfur-free binding polymer and a sulfonated polymer, and a fraction of the binding polymer at or near a surface of the microporous layer facing away from the gas diffusion layer substrate is less than or equal to a fraction of the sulfonated polymer. A method for producing a layered structure of this type is also provided.

A layered structure for a fuel cell comprises a carbon-based catalyst-free gas diffusion layer substrate and a carbon-based microporous layer, which is joined to the gas diffusion layer substrate and comprises a plurality of carbon carriers or carbon fibers embedded into an ion-conducting polymer binder mixture. The polymer binder mixture comprises a sulfur-free binding polymer and a sulfonated polymer, and a fraction of the binding polymer at or near a surface of the microporous layer facing away from the gas diffusion layer substrate is less than or equal to a fraction of the sulfonated polymer. A method for producing a layered structure of this type is also provided.