Abstract: A metal separator for fuel cells formed with a metal plate and provided between cells accumulated, in which the metal plate is formed like trapezoidal irregularities to separate channels for a fuel gas from ones for an oxidant gas. Slope portions are formed after forming uniformly and thinly wall thickness of both upper and lower flat portions or either of the upper or the lower flat portion to 90% or less of that of the metal plate to be formed to obtain trapezoidal irregularities by forming flat portions which contact upper and lower cells and slope portions which interconnect the upper and the lower flat portions.

Abstract: To smoothly deliver a thermal energy required in an active site of a catalyst carried on a carrier. A method of manufacturing a catalyst carrier of the present invention includes the steps of: forming a mixed thin film in which at least metal and ceramics are mixed on a metal base, by spraying aerosol, with metal powders and ceramic powders mixed therein, on the metal base; and making the mixed thin film porous, by dissolving the metal of the mixed thin film into acid or alkaline solution to remove this metal.

Abstract: A current-collecting composite plate for a fuel cell configured with unit cells according to the present invention, which comprises: an insulator layer; and a plurality of pairs of conductor layers, the conductor layers being bonded to the insulator layer to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, each pair being used for adjacently disposed anode and cathode electrodes for a different one of the unit cells by sandwiching an electrolyte assembly therebetween. And, each conductor layer includes: a first conductor layer of a corrosion resistant metal treated with an electrically conductive surface treatment; a second conductor layer of a metal with low electrical resistivity; a through-hole penetrating the first conductor layer and the insulator layer; and a connecting portion formed of the second conductor layer for connecting the unit cells.

Abstract: A metal composite for fuel cells according to the present invention, which includes: a core of a metal; cladded layers of a corrosion resistant metal covering both surfaces of the core; and a through-hole formed through the core and cladded layers. The through-hole has, on a hole wall of the core region of the through-hole, a concave portion which is recessed relative to hole walls of the cladded layer regions of the through-hole.

Abstract: A printed wiring board is provided, having conductor patterns formed on a surface of an insulating substrate, wherein the conductor pattern is formed by lamination of a base metal pattern formed by patterning a base metal film which is formed on a surface of the insulating substrate, and plating a metal pattern formed on the base metal pattern by selective plating after the base metal pattern is formed.

Abstract: A fuel cell having: a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode disposed to sandwich a solid polymer electrolyte membrane; current collecting plates disposed outside of the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode; a fuel electrode channel member disposed outside of the current collecting plate disposed outside of the fuel electrode; and an oxidant electrode channel member disposed outside of the current collecting plate disposed outside of the oxidant electrode. The oxidant electrode channel member has a thickness of not less than 1.2 mm. The fuel cell is a direct methanol type fuel cell.

Abstract: A surface-treated metal substrate of the present invention comprises: an adhesive layer formed of a sputtering film directly adhered to a passivation film of a metal substrate, with this adhesive layer having an internal residual stress of a compression stress or a zero stress; and a bonding layer formed of a sputtering film mainly composed of any one of copper (Cu), a mixture state of copper and nickel (Cu—Ni), a mixture state of copper and zinc (Cu—Zn), and a mixture state of copper, nickel, and zinc (Cu—Ni—Zn), on the surface of the metal substrate having the passivation film on an outermost, in an order from a surface side of the metal substrate.

Abstract: A corrosion-resistant material of the present invention includes a substrate with at least one surface made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy; a corrosion-resistant coating layer for coating the one surface of the substrate; and a corrosion-resistant sealing material made of hydrated aluminum oxide generated in fine pores, being a defect that occurs in the corrosion-resistant coating layer, to thereby seal the fine pores.

Abstract: A composite material with an electric contact layer includes a metal substrate, an adhesion layer formed-on a surface of the metal substrate, including an alloy including palladium (Pd) and a Y group metal as a main component selected from titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta) and zirconium (Zr), and having an average thickness of not less than 5 nm and not more than 100 nm, and the electric contact layer formed on a surface of the adhesion layer, including a noble metal selected from gold (Au), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir) and silver (Ag), and having an average thickness of not less than 1 nm and not more than 20 nm.

Abstract: A board material for a fuel cell metallic separator includes a metallic substrate, an intermediate layer formed on a surface of the metallic substrate, and including titanium (Ti), and a Au layer formed on a surface of the intermediate layer, including pure gold (Au), and having an average thickness of not less than 1 nm and not more than 9 nm. A fuel cell metallic separator includes the board material that includes a concavo-convex shape.

Abstract: A metal material with electric contact layer includes a metal base made of metal containing chromium; an adhesive layer formed on a surface of the metal base, mainly containing chromium and having a thickness of 5 nm or more and 200 nm or less; and an electric contact layer formed on the surface of the adhesive layer, made of noble metal or an alloy of the noble metal, and having a thickness of 1 nm or more and 20 nm or less.

Abstract: To smoothly deliver a thermal energy required in an active site of a catalyst carried on a carrier. A method of manufacturing a catalyst carrier of the present invention includes the steps of: forming a mixed thin film in which at least metal and ceramics are mixed on a metal base, by spraying aerosol, with metal powders and ceramics powders mixed therein, on the metal base; and making the mixed thin film porous, by dissolving the metal of the mixed thin film into acid or alkaline solution to remove this metal.

Abstract: A current-collecting composite plate for a fuel cell configured with unit cells according to the present invention, which comprises: an insulator layer; and a plurality of pairs of conductor layers, the conductor layers being bonded to the insulator layer to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, each pair being used for adjacently disposed anode and cathode electrodes for a different one of the unit cells by sandwiching an electrolyte assembly therebetween. And, each conductor layer includes: a first conductor layer of a corrosion resistant metal treated with an electrically conductive surface treatment; a second conductor layer of a metal with low electrical resistivity; a through-hole penetrating the first conductor layer and the insulator layer; and a connecting portion formed of the second conductor layer for connecting the unit cells.

Abstract: A metal separator for fuel cells formed with a metal plate and provided between cells accumulated, in which the metal plate is formed like trapezoidal irregularities to separate channels for a fuel gas from ones for an oxidant gas. Slope portions are formed after forming uniformly and thinly wall thickness of both upper and lower flat portions or either of the upper or the lower flat portion to 90% or less of that of the metal plate to be formed to obtain trapezoidal irregularities by forming flat portions which contact upper and lower cells and slope portions which interconnect the upper and the lower flat portions.

Abstract: A metal composite for fuel cells according to the present invention, which includes: a core of a metal; cladded layers of a corrosion resistant metal covering both surfaces of the core; and a through-hole formed through the core and cladded layers. The through-hole has, on a hole wall of the core region of the through-hole, a concave portion which is recessed relative to hole walls of the cladded layer regions of the through-hole.

Abstract: Disclosed is a separator for fuel cells which is decreased in the amount of an expensive noble metal used as a raw material while being maintained to be conductive to the MEA. This separator has durability and corrosion resistance to very corrosive substances such as fluorine ions or hydrofluoric acid. Also disclosed is a method for producing such a separator for fuel cells. Specifically disclosed is a metal separator (15, 17) which is used in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell using a fluorine-containing polymer electrolyte membrane. This metal separator (15, 17) comprises a stainless steel base (20) processed to have a plurality of fuel gas channels (14).

Abstract: A fuel cell having: a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode disposed to sandwich a solid polymer electrolyte membrane; current collecting plates disposed outside of the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode; a fuel electrode channel member disposed outside of the current collecting plate disposed outside of the fuel electrode; and an oxidant electrode channel member disposed outside of the current collecting plate disposed outside of the oxidant electrode. The oxidant electrode channel member has a thickness of not less than 1.2 mm. The fuel cell is a direct methanol type fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell separator is provided with: a core made of an Al alloy or a Mg alloy; a covering layer made of Ti or a Ti alloy formed on at least one side of the core; and a bonding metal layer formed between the core and the covering layer. The bonding metal layer is made of a metal with a deformation resistance lower than the core and the covering layer.

Abstract: An aging apparatus is provided with a DMFC having anode and cathode electrodes; anode-side and cathode-side separators for feeding the anode and cathode electrodes with pure water or a solution and an oxygen-containing gas, respectively; a voltage-applying means for forcing current to flow between the electrodes in the same direction as a direction of current flow during power generation of the fuel cell; and a control means for controlling the voltage-applying means.

Abstract: A fuel cell bipolarplate has: a bipolarplate substrate that is of only a corrosion-resisting metallic material or a composite composed of a corrosion-resisting metallic material to define the surface layer of the composite and the other metallic material to define the inner layer of the composite; and a conductive contact layer that is formed on the bipolarplate substrate, the conductive contact layer being of noble metal and having a thickness of 0.0005 &mgr;m or greater and less than 0.01 &mgr;m.