Herein disclosed is a method of treating a component of a fuel cell, which includes the step of exposing the component of the fuel cell to a source of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). The component comprises a first material. The EMR has a wavelength ranging from 10 to 1500 nm and the EMR has a minimum energy density of 0.1 Joule/cm2. Preferably, the treatment process has one or more of the following effects: heating, drying, curing, sintering, annealing, sealing, alloying, evaporating, restructuring, foaming. In an embodiment, the substrate is a component in a fuel cell. Such component comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, a catalyst, a barrier layer, a interconnect, a reformer, or reformer catalyst. In an embodiment, the substrate is a layer in a fuel cell or a portion of a layer in a fuel cell or a combination of layers in a fuel cell or a combination of partial layers in a fuel cell.

An aerosol-based printing apparatus is provided capable of producing an aerosol stream at a constant rate and constant material deposition to a substrate to provide high-definition, high-resolution traces. The aerosol-based printing apparatus provides production, transport, and delivery of an aerosol stream at a constant rate for a period of time of at least 8 hours and other instances more than 24 continuous hours of constant operation. By inhibiting bulging and necking of the deposited trace, superior line width tolerances are achieved, and such tolerances are maintained for extended periods of time, thereby allowing for both the deposition of complex traces as well as consistent manufacture of duplicate articles that maintain the tolerances across a production ran. The accumulation of fluids in the aerosol and gas transport conduits are eliminated, thereby eliminating the need for purge or cleaning cycles and allowing for uninterrupted operation for a minimum of 24 hours.

Herein discussed is an electrode comprising a copper or copper oxide phase and a ceramic phase, wherein the copper or copper oxide phase and the ceramic phase are sintered and are inter-dispersed with one another. Further discussed herein is a method of making a copper-containing electrode comprising: (a) forming a dispersion comprising ceramic particles and copper or copper oxide particles; (b) depositing the dispersion onto a substrate to form a slice; and (c) sintering the slice using electromagnetic radiation.

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a ceramic electrolyte having a thickness of 100 microns or less, an anode laminated to a first side of the electrolyte, and a cathode located on a second side of the electrolyte opposite to the first side.

The present invention relates to a membrane electrode unit comprising a polymer membrane doped with a mineral acid as well as two electrodes, characterized in that the polymer membrane comprises at least one polymer with at least one nitrogen atom and at least one electrode comprises a catalyst which is formed from at least one precious metal and at least one metal less precious according to the electrochemical series.

Herein disclosed is a method of making a fuel cell including forming an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte using an additive manufacturing machine. The electrolyte is between the anode and the cathode. Preferably, electrical current flow is perpendicular to the electrolyte in the lateral direction when the fuel cell is in use. Preferably, the method comprises making an interconnect, a barrier layer, and a catalyst layer using the additive manufacturing machine.

There is disclosed a method of making an electrode for an electrochemical reactor including the steps of providing a template and depositing electrode material such that the electrode material is in contact with the template. This template is provided in a form that produces channels in the electrode material. There is also disclosed an electrode for an electrochemical reactor which includes electrode material and a template, with the template occupying channels in the electrode material.

There is provided a method for manufacturing a catalyst ink for fuel cell electrodes that allows simultaneously performing fineness of a catalyst and adjustment of viscosity of the catalyst ink. The method for manufacturing a catalyst ink for fuel cell electrodes containing a catalyst, a solvent, and an ionomer includes stirring and mixing the catalyst, the solvent, and the ionomer by a high-shear thin-film spin mixer. The ionomer contains a gel-like ionomer. The high-shear thin-film spin mixer includes a cylindrical stirring tank, a rotary vane, and a shaft. The cylindrical stirring tank has unevennesses on an inner peripheral surface. The rotary vane is concentric with the stirring tank and has an outer diameter slightly smaller than an inner diameter of the stirring tank. The shaft includes the rotary vane on an end portion and is rotatable at high speed in forward and reverse directions.

A method is proposed by means of which a composite layer is producible in as simple and controlled a manner as possible, and by means of which composite layers with different predetermined properties can be produced with as little expenditure as possible, and thus economically. The method includes: providing a nanofiber material, comminuting the nanofiber material while forming nanorods, providing a liquid medium, which comprises an ionomer component and a dispersant, dispersing the nanorods in the liquid medium while forming a nanorod ionomer dispersion, and applying the nanorod ionomer dispersion to a surface region of a substrate while forming a composite layer. An electrochemical unit including the composite layer is provided. The composite layer is useful in a fuel cell (hydrogen fuel cell or direct alcohol fuel cell), in a redox flow cell, in an electrolytic cell, or in an ion exchanger, and useful for anion or proton conduction.

Herein disclosed is a method of manufacturing comprises depositing a composition on a substrate slice by slice to form an object; heating in situ the object using electromagnetic radiation (EMR); wherein said composition comprises a first material and a second material, wherein the second material has a higher absorption of the radiation than the first material. In an embodiment, the EMR has a wavelength ranging from 10 to 1500 nm and the EMR has a minimum energy density of 0.1 Joule/cm.sup.2. In an embodiment, the EMR comprises UV light, near ultraviolet light, near infrared light, infrared light, visible light, laser, electron beam. In an embodiment, said object comprises a catalyst, a catalyst support, a catalyst composite, an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, an electrode, an interconnect, a seal, a fuel cell, an electrochemical gas producer, an electrolyser, an electrochemical compressor, a reactor, a heat exchanger, a vessel, or combinations thereof.