Abstract:
The present specification discloses a polymer electrolyte fuel cell characterized in that each of the cathode and the anode comprises catalyst particles, a hydrogen ion-conductive polymer electrode, a conductive porous base material and a water repellent agent, and water repellency of at least one of the cathode and the anode varies in a direction of thickness or in a plane direction. As such, by varying the degree of the water repellency of the cathode and the anode on the basis of a position, an excellent polymer electrolyte fuel cell having a high discharge characteristic or more specifically a high current-voltage characteristic in a high current density range.
Abstract:
In a polymer electrolyte fuel cell of the present invention, at least one of electrodes comprises conductive carbon carrying a platinum group metal catalyst, conductive carbon carrying no catalyst metal and a hydrogen ion-conductive polymer electrolyte. The preferable amount of the conductive carbon carrying no catalyst metal is equivalent to 5 to 50 wt% of the conductive carbon carrying the catalyst metal. Incorporation of the conductive carbon carrying no catalyst metal to the catalyst layer enables reduction in potential concentration on part of electron conduction channels in an electrode, whereby an electrode for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having an excellent life characteristic can be provided.
Abstract:
The judgment about the freshness of food and drink has been made subjectively, and hence often not clear-cut; therefore, investigation has been actively made of the technology to use a semiconductor gas sensor to sense the freshness of food and drink. However, the gas sensors of the prior art have not been capable of sensing gases of, for example, ethylene, ethanol, aldehydes, mercaptans and amines, which are important in sensing the freshness of vegetables and fruits, with satisfactory responsiveness and excellent durability. The gas sensor of the present invention includes: an insulating substrate 1; a pair of thin film electrodes 2 provided on the insulating substrate 1 in such a manner as to leave a fixed space between them; a gas sensitive film 3 including a metallic oxide which is provided in such a manner as to substantially fill at least the fixed space left between the electrodes; and a catalytically active protective layer 5 formed in such a manner as to cover the surface of the metallic oxide exposed to the outside.
Abstract:
To improve the performance of a catalyst layer for a fuel cell, the weight ratio of a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte and electroconductive carbon particles in a catalyst layer is controlled to satisfy the formula (1): Y=a · logX-b+c where, log represents natural logarithm, X represents the specific surface area of the electroconductive carbon particles (m 2 /g), Y=(the weight (g) of the hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte)/(the weight (g) of the electroconductive carbon particles), a=0.216, c=±0.300, b=0.421 at an air electrode and b=0.221 at an fuel electrode.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a catalyst-coated membrane and a membrane-electrode assembly that can easily and surely achieve a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having excellent durability, in which the decomposition/degradation of a polymer electrolyte membrane can be suppressed, and a decrease in initial characteristics can be prevented sufficiently for a long period of time even when the polymer electrolyte fuel cell is frequently started and stopped. In the catalyst-coated membrane that includes an anode catalyst layer, a cathode catalyst layer, and a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer, a peripheral area of at least one of the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer is provided with a decrease portion in which the mass of the electrode catalyst per unit area of the catalyst layer decreases from the inner side toward the outer side.
Abstract:
An object of the present invention is to provide a catalyst-coated membrane suitable for achieving a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that sufficiently prevents a decrease in the initial characteristics and also exhibits sufficient cell performance for a long period of time and has excellent durability. In at least the cathode catalyst layer, the ratio (W P /W Cat-C ) of the weight of the polymer electrolyte (W P ) to the weight of the catalyst-carrying carbon (W Cat-C ) is decreased from an innermost layer positioned closest to the polymer electrolyte membrane toward an outermost layer positioned farthest from the polymer electrolyte membrane. The ratio (W P /W Cat-C ) in the innermost layer is 0.8 to 3.0, and the ratio (W P /W Cat-C ) in the outermost layer is 0.2 to 0.6.
Abstract translation:本发明的目的是提供一种适用于实现充分防止初始特性降低的聚合物电解质燃料电池的催化剂涂覆膜,并且长时间表现出充分的电池性能并且具有优异的耐久性。 在至少阴极催化剂层中,聚合物电解质(WP)的重量与催化剂载体碳重量(W Cat-C)的重量比(WP / W Cat-C)从位于 最靠近聚合物电解质膜朝向离聚合物电解质膜最远的最外层。 最内层的比例(W P / W Cat-C)为0.8〜3.0,最外层的比(W P / W Cat-C)为0.2〜0.6。
Abstract:
A method for producing an electrolyte membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell according to this invention comprises the steps of: laminating a hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane on one face of a first shape-retaining film; forming a first catalyst layer on the hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane; joining a shape-retaining member to the first catalyst layer side of the hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane; removing the first shape-retaining film from the hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane; and forming a second catalyst layer on a face of the hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane exposed by the removal, so that the hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane and the catalyst layers are not damaged even when a thin hydrogen-ion conductive polymer membrane is used.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having an increased reaction area by forming a gas channel, a proton channel and an electron channel very close to each other inside a catalyst layer. This polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte membrane; and a pair of electrodes having catalyst layers sandwiching the hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte membrane between them and gas diffusion layers in contact with the catalyst layers, in which the catalyst layer of at least one of the electrodes comprises carbon particles supporting a noble metal catalyst, and the carbon particles include at least two kinds of carbon particles adsorbing a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte in mutually different dispersed states.
Abstract:
A polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprises a hydrogen-ion-conductive polymer electrolyte membrane, a pair of electrodes sandwiching the membrane, a conductive separator plate having a gas passage for supplying a fuel to one of the electrodes, and a conductive separator plate having a gas passage for supplying an oxidant to the other electrode. Conventionally, a conductive separator plate is made of a carbonaceous material, and therefore the costs such as the fabrication cost are difficult to reduce, and a metallic plate is used on trial instead of a carbonaceous plate. However the metallic plate is exposed to a hot oxidizing atmosphere, and as a result the metallic plate is corroded after a long use, lowering the power generation efficiency gradually. According to the invention, the metallic conductive separator plate is a type in which a conductive coat comprising conductive particles and glass is formed on a surface having a gas passage. Thus, the corrosion of the metallic plate is suppressed and the degradation of the power generation efficiency after long use is also suppressed.