An electrocatalyst including carbon and a nanosheet supported on the carbon. The nanosheet includes a metal ruthenium nanosheet, and a platinum atomic layer formed on an entire surface of the metal ruthenium nanosheet. The metal ruthenium nanosheet is a monoatomic layer, and the platinum atomic layer is a monoatomic layer or a monoatomic layer laminated body.

Provided is a method for producing metal nanoparticles, which enables metal nanoparticles to be more conveniently produced.

The method for producing metal nanoparticles includes spraying and drying a mixture to form metal nanoparticles, the mixture containing a metal salt and at least one solvent selected from alcohols having 1 or more and 5 or less carbon atoms.

The invention includes a method of making a catalytic electrode for a metal-air cell in which a carbon-catalyst composite is produced by heating a manganese compound in the presence of a particulate carbon material to form manganese oxide catalyst on the surfaces of the particulate carbon, and then adding virgin particulate carbon material to the carbon-catalyst composite to produce a catalytic mixture that is formed into a catalytic layer. A current collector and an air diffusion layer are added to the catalytic layer to produce the catalytic electrode. The catalytic electrode can be combined with a separator and a negative electrode in a cell housing including an air entry port through which air from outside the container can reach the catalytic electrode.

Disclosed is a method for producing a palladium-based permeation membrane which is suitable for the separation of hydrogen from gas-gas or liquid-gas mixtures. The permeation membrane is produced by applying a palladium complex, dissolved in a solvent, to a nanoporous support system having pores in a size range of from 0.5 nm to 50 nm, removing the solvent by drying, removing of organic constituents of the palladium complex by a heat treatment, and carrying out a final heat treatment under reducing conditions at a temperature ranging from about 300° C. to about 900° C.

There is provided a catalyst layer for a fuel cell that can inhibit reduction in water electrolysis function. The catalyst layer for a fuel cell according to this disclosure comprises carbon supports on which Pt particles are supported, and Ir oxide particles, wherein the ratio of the mean primary particle size of the Ir oxide particles with respect to the mean primary particle size of the Pt particles is 20 or greater. The mean primary particle size of the Pt particles may be 20.0 nm or smaller and the mean primary particle size of the Ir oxide particles may be 100.0 nm to 500.0 nm.

A core-shell structure nanosheet includes a metal ruthenium nanosheet, and a platinum atomic layer provided on a surface of the metal ruthenium nanosheet. An electrocatalyst includes carbon, and the core shell structure nanosheet supported on the carbon. A method for manufacturing an electrocatalyst includes applying a ruthenium oxide nanosheet colloid which comprises a ruthenium oxide nanosheet, on carbon to obtain a carbon-supported ruthenium oxide nanosheet, in which the ruthenium oxide nanosheet is supported on the carbon. The carbon-supported ruthenium oxide nanosheet is reduced to obtain a carbon-supported ruthenium metal nanosheet, in which a ruthenium metal nanosheet is supported on the carbon. A platinum atomic layer is provided on a surface of the metal ruthenium nanosheet to obtain the electrocatalyst.

This electrode catalyst of the present invention contains an electrically conductive material that supports a metal or a metal oxide, wherein electrical conductivity at 30 C. is 110.sup.13 Scm.sup.1 or greater.

A catalyst for fuel cells that contains a carbon powder carrier and catalyst particles carried on the carbon powder carrier, the catalyst particles being Pt alloy particles, the catalyst for fuel cells having 0.65 mmol/g or more of hydrophilic groups, and a Pt elution amount when 0.5 g of the catalyst for fuel cells is immersed in 30 ml of a 0.5 mol/L aqueous sulfuric acid solution and retained for 100 hours at room temperature under stirring being 0.625 mg or less per g of the catalyst for fuel cells.

A process for preparing a catalyst material, said catalyst material comprising a support material, a first metal and one or more second metals, wherein the first metal and the second metal(s) are alloyed and wherein the first metal is a platinum group metal and the second metal(s) is selected from the group of transition metals and tin provided the second metal(s) is different to the first metal is disclosed. The process comprises depositing a silicon oxide before or after deposition of the second metal(s), alloying the first and second metals and subsequently removing silicon oxide. A catalyst material prepared by this process is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to methods of immobilising metals on polymeric surfaces using surfactants and to products that can be formed by such methods. Polymer substrates with metal immobilised on the surface are very useful in a variety of applications. The metal is usually in the form of a nanoparticle. A major use of the invention is in catalysts. The invention can also be used in medical applications, such as to make antimicrobial surfaces.