An interconnector for a solid-oxide electrochemical cell stack of the embodiment includes: a metal base containing an iron-based alloy containing chromium; and a protective film provided on a surface of the metal base. The protective film includes a protective film body containing at least one selected from a spinel oxide and a perovskite oxide, and dispersed phases scattered in the protective film body and containing an oxide of at least one element selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements and zirconium.

An interconnector for a solid-oxide electrochemical cell stack of the embodiment includes: a metal base containing an iron-based alloy containing chromium; and a protective film provided on a surface of the metal base. The protective film includes a protective film body containing at least one selected from a spinel oxide and a perovskite oxide, and dispersed phases scattered in the protective film body and containing an oxide of at least one element selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements and zirconium.

A new polyelectrolyte multilayer coated proton-exchange membrane for electrolysis and fuel cell applications has been developed for electrolysis and fuel cell applications. The polyelectrolyte multilayer coated proton-exchange membrane comprises: a cation exchange membrane, and a polyelectrolyte multilayer coating on one or both surfaces of the cation exchange membrane. The polyelectrolyte multilayer coating comprises alternating layers of a polycation polymer and a polyanion polymer. The polycation polymer layer is deposited on and is in contact with the cation exchange membrane. The top layer of the polyelectrolyte multilayer coating can be either a polycation polymer layer or a polyanion polymer layer.

Provided is an LDH separator including a porous substrate and a mixture of a layered double hydroxide (LDH)-like compound and In(OH).sub.3, which fills up pores of the porous substrate. The LDH-like compound is a hydroxide and/or an oxide with a layered crystal structure containing Mg, Ti, Y, and optionally Al and/or In.

A method for producing a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell, includes a substrate preparation step of preparing a substrate for the gas diffusion layer; a slurry preparation step of preparing a slurry for a microporous layer containing carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) diffused in solvent; a microporous layer forming step of forming a microporous layer by applying the slurry onto the substrate; and a heat-treatment step of controlling the hydrophobicity of the gas diffusion layer by heating the substrate having the microporous layer applied thereonto. Also disclosed is a gas diffusion layer produced thereby. The method may control the hydrophobicity of the gas diffusion layer by variably controlling the heat-treatment temperature.

A method for producing a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell, includes a substrate preparation step of preparing a substrate for the gas diffusion layer; a slurry preparation step of preparing a slurry for a microporous layer containing carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) diffused in solvent; a microporous layer forming step of forming a microporous layer by applying the slurry onto the substrate; and a heat-treatment step of controlling the hydrophobicity of the gas diffusion layer by heating the substrate having the microporous layer applied thereonto. Also disclosed is a gas diffusion layer produced thereby. The method may control the hydrophobicity of the gas diffusion layer by variably controlling the heat-treatment temperature.

The invention relates to a bipolar plate assembly (1) for forming an electrolysis or fuel cell stack and to the use of a bipolar plate assembly and an electrolysis or fuel cell stack with a plurality of bipolar plate assemblies.

Disclosed herein are gas diffusion layers (GDLs) for electrochemical devices which have increased surface area for hosting catalysts or contacting a catalyst layer. GDLs with engineered surface roughness increase the effective diffusivities of gas phase reactants in electrochemical devices (e.g., PEMFCs). Also disclosed herein are gas diffusion electrodes, membrane electrode assemblies, and fuel cells comprising GDLs with increased surface area. Also disclosed herein are methods of manufacturing GDLs with increased surface area, as well as gas diffusion electrodes and membrane electrode assemblies comprising GDLs with increased surface area.

The present invention relates to the technical field of energy storage. Disclosed in the invention are a composite electrode for a flow cell, a flow cell, and a stack. The composite electrode comprises: a distribution layer, used to distribute an electrolyte; a reaction layer used to receive the electrolyte of the distribution layer and provide an electrochemical reaction site for the electrolyte; and a contact layer, used to reduce the contact resistance of the distribution layer so as to reduce an internal resistance of the flow cell. In the present invention, by means of providing a distribution layer, a reaction layer and a contact layer, an electrochemical reaction site and an electrolyte distribution site of a composite electrode can be effectively separated, the distribution layer being able to greatly reduce dead zones and channeling caused by uneven flow distribution, and the contact layer being able to greatly reduce the internal resistance of the flow cell. Meanwhile, the distribution layer and the reaction layer can be separately and specially designed, thus improving the output power and energy efficiency of a cell or a stack taking the present composite electrode as an anode and/or a cathode.

A method for welding between two metallic plates, including: (a) fitting a solid plate without openings, configured to be transparent at at least one emission wavelength of a laser beam (F) emitted by a laser (L), between the laser (L) and at least one contact zone between the metallic plates to be welded; (a1) inerting of the contact zone via a netural gas, where the neutral gas circulates in channels delimited by the contact zone between the metallic plates and by the solid plate; (a2) exerting pressure on the two metallic plates to apply them against one another in the contact zone to be welded, where the application pressure is exerted by the solid plate directly in contact with one of the two metallic plates to be welded; and (b) emission of a laser beam, through the solid plate, to perform welding of the metallic plates in the contact zone.