The present invention aims to provide a catalyst that makes it possible to reduce an amount of solid electrolyte mixed and improve initial performance of a fuel cell, and also a method for producing the catalyst. The present invention relates to a catalyst for a solid polymer fuel cell, which has sulfo groups (SO.sub.3H) on catalyst particles. In TEM-EDX analysis, a ratio (I.sub.S/I.sub.Pt) of a sulfur peak intensity (I.sub.S) to a platinum peak intensity (I.sub.Pt) on the catalyst particles is within a range of 0.0044 or more and 0.0090 or less. The catalyst makes it possible to reduce the amount of solid electrolyte added and also a fuel cell with excellent initial performance, and thus contributes to a practical use of a fuel cell.

Supported oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) catalysts, methods of making the catalysts, and uses thereof are described. A supported OCM) catalyst can include a nonporous inert support having a high thermal conductivity and an OCM mixed metal oxide material in contact with surface of the nonporous inert support.

There is provided a catalyst with low-temperature activity, high selectivity, high poisoning resistance and high durability, as well as a method for producing it. A cluster-supporting catalyst having a silicon carbide carrier and precious metal clusters supported on the silicon carbide carrier, and a method for producing the cluster-supporting catalyst that includes sputtering with a precious metal target to generate precious metal clusters, and impacting the generated precious metal clusters on the surface of the silicon carbide carrier to support them on it.

Catalyst systems and methods for making and using the same are provided. The catalyst system can include a catalyst support, wherein the catalyst support has an average particle size of about 2 microns to about 200 microns. Nanoparticles are adhered to the catalyst support, wherein the nanoparticles have an average particle size of about 2 to about 200 nanometers. A catalyst is supported on the catalyst support.

An electrochemical reaction device includes: an electrolytic solution tank to store an electrolytic solution; an oxidation electrode disposed in the electrolytic solution tank; a reduction electrode disposed in the electrolytic solution tank; and a generator connected to the oxidation electrode and the reduction electrode. At least one of the oxidation electrode or the reduction electrode has a porous structure containing fine pores.

The present disclosure relates to a catalyst for electrochemical ammonia synthesis and a method for producing the same. The catalyst has an ammonia synthesis activity up to several times to several tens of times of the activity of the existing single metal or metal oxide catalysts. Thus, when using the catalyst, it is possible to provide a method for electrochemical ammonia synthesis having an improved ammonia production yield and rate.

The present invention relates to a device for heterogeneous plasmonic photocatalysis. The device comprises a crystalline or quasi-crystalline superstructure of plasmonic nanoparticles attached to a substrate, and a plurality of catalytically active nanoparticles embedded into the superstructure of plasmonic nanoparticles. Further, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing the device for heterogeneous plasmonic photocatalysis.

The invention provides a catalyst composition, including a mixture of catalytically active particles and a magnetic material, such as superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, capable of inductive heating in response to an applied alternating electromagnetic field. The catalytically active particles will typically include a base metal, platinum group metal, oxide of base metal or platinum group metal, or combination thereof, and will be adapted for use in various catalytic systems, such as diesel oxidation catalysts, catalyzed soot filters, lean NOx traps, selective catalytic reduction catalysts, ammonia oxidation catalysts, or three-way catalysts. The invention also includes a system and method for heating a catalyst material, which includes a catalyst article that includes the catalyst composition and a conductor for receiving current and generating an alternating electromagnetic field in response thereto, the conductor positioned such that the generated alternating electromagnetic field is applied to at least a portion of the magnetic material.

Tantalum vanadate (TaVO.sub.5) forms into nanostructures, particularly nanorods, which may range in length between 100 and 600 nm with a length:width ratio between 20:1 to 50:1, and, as a bulk material, have a bandgap of 1.5 to 3.00 eV. Such nanostructures may be prepared by the hydrothermal method.

An object of the present invention is to provide an aluminum composite material having excellent adhesiveness between a support and a supported substance. The aluminum composite material of an embodiment of the present invention is an aluminum composite material having an oxide film-including aluminum base material having an oxide film on at least a part of a surface of an aluminum base material and a supported substance supported on the surface of the oxide film-including aluminum base material, in which an average film thickness of the oxide film is 1 nm or more and less than 100 nm, and the oxide film-side surface of the aluminum base material has at least one roughened structure selected from the group consisting of a roughened structure including concave portions having an average opening diameter of more than 5 m and 100 m or less, a roughened structure including concave portions having an average opening diameter of more than 0.5 m and 5 m or less, and an uneven structure including concave portions having an average opening diameter of more than 0.01 m and 0.5 m or less.