Abstract: A carbon substrate for a gas diffusion layer that has a porosity gradient in a thickness direction thereof, a gas diffusion using the carbon substrate, an electrode and a membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell that include the gas diffusion layer, and a fuel cell including the membrane-electrode assembly having the gas diffusion layer are provided. The gas diffusion layer has improved water discharge ability and improved bending strength both in the machine direction and cross-machine direction.

Abstract: An electrode assembly that includes a positive electrode assembly including a number of positive electrodes each having a positive electrode non-coating portion at a certain position, and a positive electrode tab coupling all the positive electrode non-coating portions, a negative electrode assembly including a plurality of negative electrodes each having a negative electrode non-coating portion at a certain position, and a negative electrode tab coupling all the negative electrode non-coating portions, and a separator disposed between each positive electrode and each negative electrode to insulate a region between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The positive electrodes of the positive electrode assembly and the negative electrodes of the negative electrode assembly are stacked alternately.

Abstract: A gas generator includes a reactant capable of producing a gas and a gas outlet valve that can function as both a gas flow valve and a pressure relief vent, using the same gas flow path through the valve. When the valve is closed and the pressure within the gas generator is below a threshold pressure, a moveable valve member is biased against a valve seat to block the outlet port. When gas generator is coupled to the apparatus, an actuator is inserted into the valve, displacing the moveable valve member and separating it from the valve seat to open the valve. When the gas generator is uncoupled, pressure at or above a threshold displaces the moveable member, separating it from the valve seat to open the outlet port so pressure can be released to the external environment.

Abstract: To prevent inflow of liquid water into a power generating portion even if the liquid water remains in a manifold, and to enable size reduction by making constant the contact or surface pressure. According to the present invention, in a fuel cell comprising a power generating section including an electrolyte membrane joined between an anode and a cathode, and a manifold to cause inflow and outflow of an hydrogen containing gas and an oxygen containing gas separately from each other to the anode and cathode; the manifold is formed with an inflow preventing portion to prevent inflow of a liquid water remaining in the manifold, into the power generating portion.

Abstract: A fuel cell system that determines the phase transition from water to gas through a bleed/drain valve in a water separation device. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack having an anode side and a cathode side. An injector injects hydrogen gas into the anode side of the fuel cell stack. The water separation device receives an anode exhaust gas from the anode side of the fuel cell stack, where the water separation device includes a water holding reservoir. A controller controls the injector and the bleed/drain valve and determines when the bleed/drain valve transitions from draining water to bleeding the anode exhaust gas by comparing the flow rate through the water separation device and the flow rate through the injector.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of preparing porous graphene from porous graphite, including 1) thermochemically reacting a highly crystalline carbide compound with a halogen element-containing gas to give a porous carbide-derived carbon; 2) treating the carbide-derived carbon with an acid, thus preparing a carbide-derived carbon oxide; and 3) reducing the carbide-derived carbon oxide. An anode mixture for a secondary battery including the graphene and an anode for a secondary battery including the anode mixture are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cathode active material based on lithium nickel oxide represented by Formula 1, wherein the lithium nickel oxide has a nickel content of at least 40% among overall transition metals and is coated with a compound not reacting with an electrolyte (“non-reactive material”), which is selected from a group consisting of oxides, nitrides, sulfides and a mixture or combination thereof not reacting with an electrolyte, as well as a carbon material, at a surface of the lithium nickel oxide.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide: a liquid electrolyte for batteries, which has excellent stability to lithium metals; a method for producing the liquid electrolyte; and a lithium battery comprising the liquid electrolyte. Presented is a liquid electrolyte for lithium batteries, wherein the liquid electrolyte comprises a mesoionic compound represented by the following general formula (1): wherein R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R2 is a group represented by any one of the following general formulae (2), (3) and (4): General Formula (2): —ClH2l—(OCH2)m—CnH2n+1; General Formula (3): —CxH2x—(CH2OCH2)y—CzH2z+1; and General Formula (4): —CpH2p—(C2H4OCH2)q—CrH2r+1.

Abstract: A method of extending the life of a battery, including positioning a dendrite seeding material in an electrolyte solution disposed between a metal-containing electrode and an electrolyte permeable separator membrane, growing metal dendrites from the lithium dendrite seeding material toward the lithium-containing electrode, and contacting metal dendrites extending from the metal containing electrode with metal dendrites extending from the metal dendrite seeding material, wherein the electrolyte contains metal ions.

Abstract: The disclosure extends to protectively coated energy storage devices, such as rechargeable batteries, and associated methods of forming the same. An energy storage device, such as a rechargeable battery, may comprise a cell including at least one electrical terminal and a circuit board electrically coupled to the at least one electrical terminal. The rechargeable battery may also include a protective coating on at least a portion of at least one of a surface of the cell and/or at least one surface of the circuit board. The protective coating may reside between the circuit board and the cell. The protective coating may comprise a moisture resistant coating that will withstand exposure to corrosive agents, including electrolytes, corrosive gases and dust.

Abstract: A current collector including: a polymer film including a first major surface, an opposite second major surface, and a plurality of openings extending through a thickness of the polymer film; a first layer on the first major surface of the polymer film; a second layer on the second major surface of the polymer film; and a third layer on an inner surface of an opening of the plurality of openings, wherein the third layer contacts the first layer and the second layer, and wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer each independently has an electrical conductivity of greater than 10 Siemens per meter.

Abstract: The method for producing a battery, includes the steps of: laminating electrodes on the crosslinking polymer-supported porous film to prepare a laminate of crosslinking polymer-supported porous film/electrodes; placing the laminate in a battery container; and pouring an electrolyte solution containing a cation polymerization catalyst in the battery container to induce cation polymerization and crosslinking of the crosslinking polymer, thereby at least partially gelling the electrolyte solution to adhere the porous film and the electrodes.

Abstract: A secondary battery for electronic appliance to be installed in an electronic appliance includes a battery cell in which a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte are accommodated in a pack. A positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal are lead out from one side face of the pack. The secondary battery may further include a metallic battery can accommodating the battery cell therein and a pair of lids made of a synthetic resin, each plugging an opening of the battery can.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes an ECU that sets the fuel cell stack to a state of idling stop by lowering both a revolution speed of an air pump and a discharge current value of the fuel cell stack to less than during idling power generation within a range larger than 0, in response to a predetermined idling stop initiation condition having been satisfied during idling power generation. The ECU decreases the discharge current value further as the lowest cell voltage value CV_low of the fuel cell stack decreases so that the lowest cell voltage value CV_low does not fall below a cancellation threshold B, with an event of the lowest cell voltage CV_low of the fuel cell stack having fallen below the cancellation threshold B as a cancellation condition of idling stop.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a lithium secondary battery cathode which can more improve characteristics of the battery. The cathode of the present invention includes an electroconductive cathode current collector, a plurality of plate-like particle formed of a cathode active material, and a binder containing microparticles formed of the cathode active material and being smaller than the plate-like particles. The plate-like particles are formed so as to have an aspect ratio of 4 to 50. The plate-like particles are arranged such that the particles cover the surface of the cathode current collector surface at a percent area of 85 to 98%. The binder is disposed so as to intervene between two adjacent plate-like particles.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly is provided for use in a fuel cell and utilizes an external manifold and seal structure which are molded directly to the gas diffusion layers. The integrated manifold and gas diffusion layers are formed as duplicate components which can be oriented 180 degrees offset to one another to create the MEA assembly with a catalyst coated membrane disposed therebetween. The integrated manifold and seal structures can be held together by heat pressing or other known connection techniques.

Abstract: Lithium-iron molecular precursor compounds, compositions and processes for making a cathode for lithium ion batteries. The molecular precursor compounds are soluble and provide processes to make stoichiometric cathode materials with solution-based processes. The cathode material can be, for example, a lithium iron oxide, a lithium iron phosphate, or a lithium iron silicate. Cathodes can be made as bulk material in a solid form or in solution, or in various forms including thin films.

Abstract: An electric storage cell includes a hard casing configured to house an electric storage element and electrolyte, and an electrode terminal connected to a charge collector of the electric storage element and exposed to an outside of the hard casing, the electric storage cell being chargeable/dischargeable using the electrode terminal, wherein the electrode terminal has a charge collector connecting portion connected to the charge collector through an opening formed in the hard casing, and a main body bonded to an outer circumferential surface of the hard casing to make a surface contact.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for preventing deformation of a plastic battery pack case for a vehicle, in which the side of the battery pack case is subjected to reverse deformation to absorb the deformation occurring after compression molding and to ensure the dimensions of a mounting portion of various components including battery packs, thereby ensuring an internal space of the battery pack case. To this end, the present invention provides an apparatus for preventing deformation of a plastic battery pack case for a vehicle, the apparatus including: a base having a case insertion space; a fixing portion for fixing a battery pack case inserted into the case insertion space; and a deformation producing portion inserted into the battery pack case and preventing the case from being deformed by pressing the inside of the case to be reversely deformed in the lateral direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle battery pack cooling system, including: a housing; a fan attached to the housing; a first section of the housing including a battery module selectively in fluid communication with the fan; a second section of the housing including a battery support device selectively in fluid communication with the fan; and a baffler assembly configured to control fluid communication between the fan and the first and second sections.