Disclosed are a deterioration estimation system for the fuel cell, a hydrogen supply system for a fuel cell including the same, and a hydrogen supply method for a fuel cell, the deterioration estimation system including a fuel cell which receives hydrogen gas and oxidizing gas respectively supplied to an anode side and a cathode side thereof to generate electrical power, a hydrogen supply line which is connected to the anode side of the fuel cell and supplies gas containing hydrogen gas to the fuel cell, a hydrogen supply valve which is located between the hydrogen supply line and a hydrogen tank, supplies, when opened, hydrogen gas stored in the hydrogen tank to the hydrogen supply line, and blocks the supply of the hydrogen gas when closed, and a deterioration estimating unit which estimates the deterioration state of the fuel cell, based on the opening and closing control of the hydrogen supply valve or a change in the pressure in the hydrogen supply line.

A flow battery includes a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a first liquid in contact with the negative electrode, a second liquid in contact with the positive electrode, and a lithium-ion-conductive film disposed between the first liquid and the second liquid. At least one of the first liquid or the second liquid contains a redox species and lithium ions. The lithium-ion-conductive film includes an inorganic member containing zeolite.

A catalyst-coated membrane (CCM) for use in a water electrolyser, having a laminate structure comprising: a first layer comprising a first membrane component having a cathode catalyst layer disposed on a first face thereof; a second layer comprising a second membrane component having an anode catalyst layer disposed on a first face thereof; and an intermediate layer disposed between the first and second layers, comprising a third membrane component having a recombination catalyst layer disposed on a first face thereof is disclosed. The CCM is useful within a water electrolyser. The recombination catalyst layer reduces the risk associated with hydrogen crossover and allows thinner membranes with lower resistance to be used.

Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules. Also a stabilized surfactant mesostructure coating for a porous material and filters made therefrom. The coating can simultaneously improve both the permeability and the filtration characteristics of the porous material.

A fuel cell system includes a supply valve for supplying an anode gas into an anode system, a purge valve for discharging an off-gas from the anode system, a pressure detecting portion configured to estimate or measures a pressure inside the anode system, a supply valve control portion configured to control an open/close operation of the supply valve based on a load of the fuel cell, a purge flow rate estimating portion configured to estimate a purge flow rate of the off-gas discharged from the anode system through the purge valve based on a pressure decrease inside the anode system in a supply valve close state, and a purge valve control portion configured to open the purge valve in synchronization with the supply valve close state.

Disclosed is an ion conducting layer for fuel cells, through which ions generated by oxidation of liquid fuel pass before the ions reach a membrane in a fuel cell. The ion conducting layer includes: a substrate into which the liquid fuel and an electrolyte are introduced; and pores formed in the substrate, wherein the pores are formed at a porosity of 10% or more in the substrate to suppress a crossover phenomenon in which the liquid fuel passes through the membrane.

A fuel cell has a stack that includes a fuel electrode and air electrode on opposite sides of an electrolyte membrane. The fuel electrode includes first and second fuel ports communicative via a fuel flow path, and the air electrode includes first and second air ports communicative via an air flow path. The fuel cell also includes first and second fuel feeders communicative with the first and second fuel ports, and first and second air feeders communicative with the first and second air ports. The fuel cell also includes a fuel switching unit between the first and second fuel feeders that switches a fuel supply direction between the first and second fuel feeders. The fuel cell further includes an air switching unit between the first and second air feeders that switches an air supply direction between the first and second air feeders.

A redox device, in particular a hydrogen-oxygen redox device, has at least one redox unit, in particular a hydrogen-oxygen redox unit, which is intended for carrying out at least one redox reaction with consumption and/or production of a first gas, in particular hydrogen gas, and/or of a second gas, in particular oxygen gas. The redox device includes at least one residual gas purification unit which frees at least one residual gas in the redox unit of at least one gas impurity at least in at least one rest mode of the redox unit.

An electrolyte membrane suitable for use in an electrochemical cell is described. It comprises a polymer electrolyte body and at least one metal oxide thin film layer on at least one surface of the polymer electrolyte body, wherein said metal oxide thin film layer is permeable to protons. Furthermore, the method for preparation and uses thereof are disclosed.

This fuel cell stack activation method is a method for activating a fuel cell stack provided with a solid polymer-containing electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode, and a cathode electrode, the method comprising: a first current application step for applying a current by electrically connecting the two electrodes via an external electrical load in a state in which a potential difference is generated between the two electrodes by supplying air as a cathode-side gas to the cathode electrode while supplying hydrogen gas as an anode-side gas to the anode electrode; and a second current application step for applying a current by electrically connecting the two electrodes via an external electrical load in a state in which a potential difference is generated between the two electrodes by supplying nitrogen gas as a cathode-side gas to die cathode electrode while supplying hydrogen gas as an anode-side gas to the anode electrode.