An electrode catalyst layer for a fuel cell includes a catalyst/support composite including a support and a catalyst supported thereon. The support contains a titanium oxide. The surface of the catalyst/support composite has an oxide of at least one element selected from the group consisting of niobium, tantalum, zirconium, and silicon. The ratio A2/A1 is from 0.35 to 1.70, wherein A1 is the atomic ratio of titanium on a surface of the catalyst layer and A2 is the atomic ratio of a total of niobium, tantalum, zirconium, and silicon on the surface of the catalyst layer, A1 and A2 being measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The titanium oxide preferably has a composition TiOx (0.5 ≤ x < 2).

The present invention provides a metal carbonitride comprising: i) a first metal, M.sup.1; and ii) a second metal, M.sup.2; wherein M.sup.1 is titanium, zirconium or hafnium; and M.sup.2 is vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, iron, ruthenium or osmium.

Provided is an electrode catalyst in which the contents of chlorine (Cl) species and bromine (Br) species are reduced to a predetermined level or lower, capable of exhibiting sufficient catalyst performance. The electrode catalyst has a core-shell structure including a support, a core part formed on the support and a shell part formed to cover at least a part of the surface of the core part. A concentration of bromine (Br) species of the electrode catalyst as measured by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy is 400 ppm or less, and a concentration of chlorine (Cl) species of the electrode catalyst as measured by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy is 900 ppm or less.

A support and metal catalyst with improved electric conductivity is provided. A support and metal catalyst, including: a support powder; and metal fine particles supported on the support powder; wherein: the support powder is an aggregate of support fine particles; the support fine particles have a chained portion structured by a plurality of crystallites being fusion bonded to form a chain; the support fine particles are structured with metal oxide; and the metal oxide is doped with a dopant element, and an atomic ratio of titanium with respect to total of titanium and tin is 0.30 to 0.80, is provided.

A carrier powder is thermodynamically stable and conductivity can be easily provided thereto. A carrier powder includes an aggregate of carrier fine particles; wherein: the carrier fine particles include a chained portion structured by fusion bonding a plurality of crystallites into a chain; the carrier fine particles contain titanium oxide; and a ratio of anatase phase/rutile phase of the titanium oxide of the carrier powder is 0.2 or lower.

The present invention provides a method of preparing a catalyst material which comprises electrocatalyst particles, a support material, and graphitic carbon nitride, wherein the method comprises applying graphitic carbon nitride to a catalyst material precursor. Also provided is a catalyst material comprising graphitic carbon nitride.

A fuel cell electrocatalyst and a fuel cell catalyst support structure are described herein. The fuel cell electrocatalyst includes the support structure. The support structure includes at least one titanium suboxide, a first dopant and a second dopant. The first dopant is a metal and the second dopant is a Group IV element. The fuel cell electrocatalyst also includes a metal catalyst deposited on the support structure.

A catalyst structure includes: (1) a substrate; (2) a catalyst layer on the substrate; and (3) an adhesion layer disposed between the substrate and the catalyst layer. In some implementations, an average thickness of the adhesion layer is about 1 nm or less. In some implementations, a material of the catalyst layer at least partially extends into a region of the adhesion layer. In some implementations, the catalyst layer is characterized by a lattice strain imparted by the adhesion layer.

An energy conversion device for conversion of chemical energy into electricity. The energy conversion device has a first and second electrode. A substrate is present that has a porous semiconductor or dielectric layer placed thereover. The porous semiconductor or dielectric layer can be a nano-engineered structure. A porous catalyst material is placed on at least a portion of the porous semiconductor or dielectric layer such that at least some of the porous catalyst material enters the nano-engineered structure of the porous semiconductor or dielectric layer, thereby forming an intertwining region.

Embodiments described herein relate to methods for preparing catalysts and catalyst supports. In one embodiment, transition metal carbide materials, having a nanotube like morphology, are utilized as a support for a precious metal catalyst, such as platinum. Embodiments described herein also relate to proton exchange membrane fuel cells that incorporate the catalysts described herein.