Abstract: The present invention mainly intends to provide a water-repellent layer-forming tape, which enables a water-repellent layer to be provided by a simple method. In order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a water-repellent layer-forming tape to be used for forming a water-repellent layer of a tube-type fuel cell, comprising a plurality of fibrous shape-retaining materials and a water-repellent portion formed to connect the plurality of fibrous shape-retaining materials, wherein the water-repellent portion contains a water-repellent material and an electro-conductive material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell which is capable to improve heat exchange efficiency with a plurality of tubular cells. The fuel cell of the present invention comprises: a plurality of tubular cells; heat exchangers arranged at the outside of the tubular cells, wherein at least a part of the outer circumferential surface of said tubular cells and the peripheral surface of said heat exchangers have face contact with each other.

Abstract: There are provided fine particle-carrying carbon particles, which can be used as a substitute for the existing platinum-carrying carbon particles or platinum metal particles commonly used in electrocatalysts for fuel cells or the like, and which are significantly reduced in the amount of platinum to be used in comparison with the existing platinum-carrying carbon particles, and an electrode for a fuel cell using the same carbon particles. The fine particle-carrying carbon particle comprises a carbon particle with an average particle diameter of from 20 to 70 nm, and fine particles of a metal oxide with an average crystallite size of from 1 to 20 nm, carried on the carbon particle, wherein the metal oxide contains a noble metal element such as a platinum element, and is represented by the formula: MOx in which the metal element M is partially substituted by the noble metal element.

Abstract: Carbon particles having fine particles deposited thereon which can be used as a substitute for the carbon particles having platinum deposited thereon and metallic platinum particles which are presently in general use as, e.g., a catalyst for electrodes in fuel cells. Compared to the conventional carbon particles having platinum deposited thereon, etc., the carbon particles are effective in greatly reducing the amount of platinum to be used. The carbon particles are characterized by comprising carbon particles and, deposited on the surface of the carbon particles, fine particles of a perovskite type composite metal oxide in each of which fine noble-metal particles are present throughout the whole particle. Also provided is a process for producing the carbon particles.

Abstract: A catalyst for electrodes in solid-polymer fuel cells which comprises metal oxide particles themselves. It can be used as a substituent for the carbon particles having platinum deposited thereon and platinum metal particles which are presently in general use as, e.g., a catalyst for electrodes in fuel cells, and has a possibility that the amount of platinum to be used can be greatly reduced as compared with the conventional carbon particles having platinum deposited thereon, etc.

Abstract: Fuel for a fuel cell includes a main fuel that includes at least hydrogen and carbon, and a fuel additive formed of a hydrogen-containing compound that has a redox potential lower than that of hydrogen. A fuel cell system includes an electrolyte, an anode arranged on one side of the electrolyte and a cathode arranged on the other side of the electrolyte, and a fuel supply source that supplies the main fuel and the fuel additive.

Abstract: A tubular fuel cell module is provided with a tubular cell of a tubular fuel cell, and a heat transfer pipe through which a heating/cooling medium flows to selectively heat and cool the tubular fuel cell. The heat transfer pipe includes a first straight portion, a second straight portion, and a bent portion that connects the first straight portion with the second straight portion. At least a portion of the tubular cell is arranged on at least one of the first straight portion and the second straight portion. As a result, the reliability of a seal of the tubular fuel cell module is improved.

Abstract: A tubular fuel cell includes an inner current collector, a membrane-electrode assembly, and seal portions provided at the axial end portions of the membrane-electrode assembly, respectively. The membrane-electrode assembly includes an inner catalyst layer provided on the inner current collector, an electrolyte membrane provided on the inner catalyst layer, and an outer catalyst layer provided on the electrolyte membrane. The axial length of the outer catalyst layer is shorter than the axial lengths of the electrolyte membrane and the outer catalyst layer. The axial end face of the outer catalyst layer and the axial end face of the inner catalyst layer are located on the opposite sides of the seal portion in each side of the tubular fuel cell.

Abstract: a fuel cell capable of improving heat exchange efficiency with respect to tubular fuel cells is provided. A fuel cell includes a hollow electrolyte membrane, hollow electrodes arranged on an inside and an outside of the electrolyte membrane, respectively, and an internal charge collector arranged inside of the electrolyte membrane and the electrodes, wherein the internal charge collector is hollow and made of a nonporous member.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly (11) for a tube-shaped fuel cell, which is provided with a tube-shaped solid electrolyte membrane (1); an outside catalyst electrode layer (2) formed on an outer peripheral surface of the solid electrolyte membrane (1); an inside catalyst electrode layer (3) formed on an inner peripheral surface of the solid electrolyte membrane (1); an outside collector (4) arranged on an outer peripheral surface of the outside catalyst electrode layer (2); and an inside collector (5) arranged on an inner peripheral surface of the inside catalyst electrode layer (3), is characterized in that at least one of the outside collector (4) and the inside collector (5) is a coiled collector that includes a coiled conductor.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid electrolyte with high ion-conductivity comprising a hybrid compound of polyvinyl alcohol and a zirconic acid compound which can prohibit gelation of the raw material solution with keeping the concentration of the raw material solution of the solid electrolyte desirable for efficient manufacture of membranes, and provides the solid electrolyte which is inexpensive, and even functions in an alkaline form is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of hydrolyzing a zirconium salt or an oxyzirconium salt in a solution including a solvent including water, polyvinyl alcohol, and the zirconium salt or the oxyzirconium salt, removing the solvent, and contacting with alkali. The hydrolysis may be carried out by heating to 50° C. or higher or by heating to 50° C. or higher at a pH of 7 or less.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a diffusion layer formed in a sheet having a small thickness. The fuel cell is assembled with a tension imposed on the sheet in an in-plane direction of the sheet. The tension is imposed on the diffusion layer from a frame disposed outside the fuel cell. The tension is of such a magnitude as to prevent a portion of the sheet positioned corresponding to a gas passage of a separator from being deformed when the fuel cell is assembled and has a tightening force thereby applied thereto. The tension is adjustable according to a fuel cell operating condition. These structures can prevent a separator rib from pushing into a membrane, maintaining the gas passability of the diffusion layer well.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid electrolyte with high ion-conductivity which is cheap and exhibits high conductivity in an alkaline form, and stably keeps high conductivity because of a small amount of the leak of a compound bearing conductivity even in a wet state. The invention is useful in an electrochemical system using the solid electrolyte, such as a fuel cell. The solid electrolyte with high ion-conductivity comprises a hybrid compound which contains at least polyvinyl alcohol and a zirconic acid compound, and also a nitrogen-containing organic compound having a structure of amine, quaternary ammonium compound and/or imine, obtained by hydrolyzing a zirconium salt or an oxyzirconium salt in a solution including water, polyvinyl alcohol, a zirconium salt or an oxyzirconium salt and a nitrogen-containing organic compound having a structure of amine, quaternary ammonium compound and/or imine coexist, removing a solvent and contacting with alkali.

Abstract: A catalyst obtained by calcining a hydrazone metal complex in which at least one catalytic metal species is coordinated to a hydrazone compound represented by a General Formula (1) below, a hydrazone polymer compound including at least a structural unit derived from a hydrazone compound represented by the General Formula (1) below as a repeating unit, and a catalyst obtained by calcining a hydrazone polymer metal complex in which at least one catalytic metal species is coordinated to a hydrazone polymer compound including at least a structural unit derived from a hydrazone compound represented by the General Formula (1) below: wherein, Py represents a 2-pyridyl group, a 3-pyridyl group, or a 4-pyridyl group.

Abstract: A hydrazone compound represented by a General Formula (1) below, a hydrazone compound for forming a metal complex, which is represented by the General Formula (1) below and forms a metal complex by coordination to at least one metal species, a ligand for forming a metal complex including the hydrazone compound, and a monomer for manufacturing a polymer compound including the hydrazone compound: wherein, Py represents a 2-pyridyl group, a 3-pyridyl group, or a 4-pyridyl group.

Abstract: The present invention mainly intends to provide a method for manufacturing a tube-type fuel cell by which a tube-type fuel cell with good adhesion can be produced without blocking gas flow channel in its inner current collector. In order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a tube-type fuel cell, comprising: a filling step of providing a columnar-shaped inner current collector having a gas flow channel on its outer peripheral face and filling the gas flow channel with a removable substance to form a removable portion; a functional layer forming step of forming a functional layer on at least the removable portion; and a removing step of removing the removable portion after the functional layer forming step.

Abstract: A tubular fuel cell including: a center support member made from a wire rod; an electrolyte layer formed upon the outside of the center support member; an outer circumferential support member disposed between the center support member and the electrolyte layer, and which is made from a wire rod; a catalyst layer formed upon the outer circumferential surface of the outer circumferential support member, and that is in contact with the electrolyte layer; and an auxiliary outer circumferential support member provided between the center support member and the outer circumferential support member, and which is made from a wire rod.

Abstract: In an air-cooled fuel cell system (10), a controlling apparatus (100) performs a temperature controlling process on the basis of the temperature of a fuel cell detected by a temperature sensor (500). At this time, if the cell temperature is greater than a target temperature Ta and if the cell temperature is less than a threshold temperature Tth for defining a boundary between (i) a temperature group TG1, in which a change in a cell voltage is small relative to the stoichiometric ratio of the air for power generation, and (ii) a temperature group TG2, in which a change in the cell voltage is large relative to the stoichiometric ratio of the air for power generation, the controlling apparatus (100) controls an air supplying apparatus (210) to increase the amount of the air supplied to an air intake manifold (320).

Abstract: It is a main object of the present invention to provide a fuel cell catalyst in which a support for supporting a metal catalyst has electrical conductivity in itself and which can prevent agglomeration of the metal catalyst during long term use of the fuel cell. In the present invention, the object is achieved by providing a fuel cell catalyst for use in a cathode-side catalyst electrode layer of a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, comprising a metal catalyst and a perovskite-type complex oxide (ABO3).

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the invention includes a tubular switching member 70 with slits 70a to shift their position and thereby vary an opening area of outlets of oxidizing gas conduits 36 in respective unit fuel cells 30 constituting a fuel cell stack 20. The system further includes a drive roller 74 and a stepping motor 79 that function to change over the position of the slits 70a. An electronic control unit controls rotation of the stepping motor 79 to actuate the tubular switching member 70 first to narrow the opening area of the outlets of the oxidizing gas conduits 36 to or toward 0 and then to widen the opening area of the outlets of the oxidizing gas conduits 36, thereby generating pulsation in the oxidizing gas conduits 36. Water droplets flocculated in the oxidizing gas conduits 36 are thus discharged to the outlets with high efficiency. The structure of the embodiment does not require any bypass in the respective unit fuel cells 30.