A gas diffusion layer, a preparation method therefor, a membrane electrode assembly and a fuel cell. The gas diffusion layer comprises gas diffusion layer substrates (41, 42) and a microporous layer slurry coated on the gas diffusion layer substrates (41, 42). An additive that contains catechol or contains a catechol structure compound is specifically added into the microporous layer slurry, and the additive is specifically dopamine hydrochloride.

A gas diffusion layer, a preparation method therefor, a membrane electrode assembly and a fuel cell. The gas diffusion layer comprises gas diffusion layer substrates (41, 42) and a microporous layer slurry coated on the gas diffusion layer substrates (41, 42). An additive that contains catechol or contains a catechol structure compound is specifically added into the microporous layer slurry, and the additive is specifically dopamine hydrochloride.

In a method of producing a membrane electrode assembly, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and gas diffusion layers are stacked together in a stacking direction in a manner that electrode catalyst layers are interposed between at least parts of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and the gas diffusion layers to form a stack body. A load is applied to the stack body in the stacking direction, and the temperature of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane is increased by high frequency dielectric heating. In this manner, the gas diffusion layers, the electrode catalyst layers, and the solid polymer electrolyte membrane are joined integrally to obtain the membrane electrode assembly.

A fuel cell comprises a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode being associated with said membrane on the first side thereof and a cathode electrode being associated with said membrane on the second side thereof, wherein a gas diffusion layer is associated with each of the electrodes on the side thereof that faces away from the polymer electrolyte membrane, and wherein a flow field plate having a flow field for distributing the reactants is associated with each of the gas diffusion layers on the side thereof that faces away from the polymer electrolyte membrane, characterized in that at least one conducting line formed from a hygroscopic and/or capillary-active material is provided for conducting water and thus for moistening the polymer electrolyte membrane.

A porous body includes a framework having a three-dimensional network structure, the framework having a body including crystal grains including nickel and cobalt as constituent elements, the cobalt having a proportion in mass of 0.2 or more and 0.8 or less with respect to a total mass of the nickel and the cobalt, the crystal grains having a shorter grain diameter of 2 μm or more, as determined in a first observed image obtained by observing the body of the framework in cross section at a magnification of 200 times.

A porous body includes a framework having a three-dimensional network structure, the framework having a body including crystal grains including nickel and cobalt as constituent elements, the cobalt having a proportion in mass of 0.2 or more and 0.8 or less with respect to a total mass of the nickel and the cobalt, the crystal grains having a shorter grain diameter of 2 μm or more, as determined in a first observed image obtained by observing the body of the framework in cross section at a magnification of 200 times.

This electrode comprises: an electrode component containing a columnar structure; and a porous collector layer that is prepared on the electrode component. The columnar structure comprises a multiple columnar sections, the lateral surfaces of which are at least partially in contact with each other. Each columnar part section is provided with a multilayer part wherein different inorganic compound layers are stacked. In addition, the columnar structure comprises two or more adjacent columnar sections, which are different from each other in the stacking direction of the multilayer part. For example, each columnar section has a width of 10 nm to 100 nm, and each inorganic compound layer has a thickness of 1 nm to 10 nm.

A microporous layer for use in a fuel cell includes a first carbon black having carboxyl groups at a concentration less than 0.1 mmol per gram of carbon, a hydrophobic additive and a hydrophilic additive. A method for producing a membrane electrode assembly includes preparing a microporous layer ink, applying the microporous layer ink to a first side of a gas diffusion substrate, sintering the gas diffusion substrate to form a gas diffusion layer having a first side with a microporous layer, and thermally bonding the first side of the gas diffusion layer to an electrode layer. The microporous layer ink includes a suspension medium, a first carbon black having carboxyl groups at a concentration less than 0.1 mmol per gram of carbon, a hydrophobic additive and a hydrophilic additive.

A microporous layer for use in a fuel cell includes a first carbon black having carboxyl groups at a concentration less than 0.1 mmol per gram of carbon, a hydrophobic additive and a hydrophilic additive. A method for producing a membrane electrode assembly includes preparing a microporous layer ink, applying the microporous layer ink to a first side of a gas diffusion substrate, sintering the gas diffusion substrate to form a gas diffusion layer having a first side with a microporous layer, and thermally bonding the first side of the gas diffusion layer to an electrode layer. The microporous layer ink includes a suspension medium, a first carbon black having carboxyl groups at a concentration less than 0.1 mmol per gram of carbon, a hydrophobic additive and a hydrophilic additive.

Electrochemical cells can include flow channels designed to provide an electrolyte solution more efficiently to an electrode or ionically conductive separator. Such electrochemical cells can include an ionically conductive separator disposed between a first half-cell and a second half-cell, a first bipolar plate in the first half-cell, and a second bipolar plate in the second half-cell. At least one of the first bipolar plate and the second bipolar plate are a composite containing a conductive material and a blocking material. The blocking material defines a plurality of flow channels that are spaced apart from one another and extend laterally through the composite with respect to the ionically conductive separator. The plurality of flow channels are also in fluid communication with one another in the composite. Such electrochemical cells can be incorporated in electrochemical stacks and/or be fluidly connected to a fluid inlet manifold and a fluid outlet manifold.