A clad porous metal substrate for use in a metal-supported electrochemical cell, wherein a metal support layer of defined porosity is clad on top and bottom sides with a layer containing a metal and/or a metal oxide. A metal-supported electrochemical half-cell and a metal-supported electrochemical cell are also described.

A sensor element includes: an element base made of an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte; an internal space provided inside the element base; an electrochemical pump cell configured to pump oxygen in and out between the internal space and outside; a porous thermal shock resistant layer provided to an outermost peripheral part in a predetermined range at one end part of the element base, at which a gas inlet is provided; and a buffer layer adjacent to the thermal shock resistant layer on a pump surface and a heater surface. A thermal diffusion time in a thickness direction of the thermal shock resistant layer is 0.4 sec to 1.0 sec inclusive, and a total thermal diffusion time in a stacking direction of the thermal shock resistant layer and the buffer layer is 0.2 sec to 1.0 sec inclusive.

A sensor element includes an element base made of an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte, an internal space provided inside the element base, an electrochemical pump cell that pumps oxygen in and out between the internal space and outside, and a porous thermal shock resistant layer provided to an outermost peripheral part in a predetermined range at one end part of the element base, at which a gas inlet is provided. A thermal diffusion time in a thickness direction of the thermal shock resistant layer is 0.4 sec to 1.0 sec inclusive. A thermal diffusion time at a leading end part of the thermal shock resistant layer covering the gas inlet at a farthest leading end position at the one end part is longest, and a thermal diffusion time at a pump surface is longer than a thermal diffusion time at a heater surface.

Flexible fuel cell sensors and methods of making and using the same are provided. A fuel cell sensor can be used for the detection of, for example, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and the working mechanism of the fuel cell sensor can rely on redox reactions. The fuel cell sensor can include a proton exchange membrane (PEM), an anode disposed on a first surface of the PEM, a cathode disposed on a second surface of the PEM opposite from the first surface, and a reference electrode disposed on the first surface of the PEM and spaced apart from the anode.

A gas sensor includes a sensing element having an electrode pad a metal terminal, and a separator that has insertion holes in which the metal terminal is held. The metal terminal includes a main body and an elastic portion that is integrally connected to the main body and is elastically connected to the electrode pad at a predetermined contact point. The main body includes a front-end-side restricting portion and a rear-end-side restricting portion that restrict the movement of the main body by contacting wall surfaces of the insertion hole when the main body moves in a direction intersecting the direction of an axial line. The contact point is located between the front-end-side restricting portion and the rear-end-side restricting portion in the direction of the axial line. The front-end-side restricting portion and the rear-end-side restricting portion are connected to each other so that a flat board portion is interposed therebetween.

A gas sensor includes a sensing element that includes an electrode pad, a metal terminal, and a separator. The metal terminal includes a lead-wire-connecting portion, a main body, a protruding piece that protrudes from a front-end side, and an elastic portion connected to an end of the protruding piece and to the electrode pad. An area S1 of a first opposed surface of a primary surface facing an insertion hole of the separator is larger than an area S2 of a second opposed surface of a secondary surface facing the insertion hole, and a part of the second opposed surface contacts an inner circumferential surface of the separator forming the insertion hole, and the first opposed surface is separated from the inner circumferential surface, where surfaces of the main body and the protruding piece that are located opposite the elastic portion are the primary surface and the secondary surface.

A metal terminal includes a front-side terminal member and a rear-side terminal member. The front-side terminal member includes a female connection portion, and the rear-side terminal member includes a male connection portion. The female connection portion has an insertion port in which the male connection portion is inserted. The insertion port is formed in a shape that prevents the insertion port and the male connection portion from coming into contact with each other when the male connection portion is inserted therein. The female connection portion includes a terminal contact portion which brings the male connection portion and the female connection portion into contact with each other by pressing the male connection portion toward the female connection portion inside the female connection portion.

An apparatus comprising a heating unit and a support device is disclosed which apparatus is designed to place a controlled amount of heat into a very localized area of a substrate of interest. The substrate of interest here is intended to be a portion of a large structure [such as the portion of a ship]. The heating unit comprises a heat source and the necessary structure to closely control the heat applied to the substrate of interest. The support device supports the heating unit directly over the substrate of interest and permits the system to be secured to one surface of the substrate of interest in a removable and non-destructive manner. The support device has legs which have securing means on the bottom thereof to secure the system to one surface of the substrate of interest in a releasable and non-destructible way.

There is a described a patch-clamp chip for making electrical measurements on a biological sample. The patch-clamp chip comprising a plurality of layers comprising poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) forming a stack. It comprises at least a chip surface layer comprising an aperture formed therethrough and which upwardly opens on the surface, where the biological sample is provided. A microfluidic channel layer comprising PDMS extends below the plane of the chip surface layer and comprises a microfluidic channel formed therein. The aperture of the chip surface layer downwardly opens on the microfluidic channel. Electrophysiological measurements are made between an internal solution in the microfluidic channel and the external solution on the chip surface. The measurements can be performed via a bottom electrode. A plurality of apertures and corresponding microfluidic channels can be provided to perform simultaneous measurements on a plurality of samples, independently.

There is a described a patch-clamp chip for making electrical measurements on a biological sample. The patch-clamp chip comprising a plurality of layers comprising poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) forming a stack. It comprises at least a chip surface layer comprising an aperture formed therethrough and which upwardly opens on the surface, where the biological sample is provided. A microfluidic channel layer comprising PDMS extends below the plane of the chip surface layer and comprises a microfluidic channel formed therein. The aperture of the chip surface layer downwardly opens on the microfluidic channel. Electrophysiological measurements are made between an internal solution in the microfluidic channel and the external solution on the chip surface. The measurements can be performed via a bottom electrode. A plurality of apertures and corresponding microfluidic channels can be provided to perform simultaneous measurements on a plurality of samples, independently.