Patents by Inventor Toshiharu Tabata

Toshiharu Tabata has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8372562
    Abstract: A conductive carbon carrier for a fuel cell having at least a surface layer graphitized, characterized in that the dimension (La) in a six-membered ring face (carbon plane) direction of a crystallite measured by X-ray diffraction is 4.5 nm or more. This carbon carrier improves the durability in a fuel cell and enables operation for a long period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignees: Cataler Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiharu Tabata, Tomoaki Terada, Takahiro Nagata, Susumu Enomoto, Yosuke Horiuchi, Hiroaki Takahashi, Tetsuo Kawamura, Hideyasu Kawai
  • Patent number: 8338051
    Abstract: This invention relates to an electrode catalyst for a fuel cell comprising catalyst metal particles of noble metal-base metal-Ce (cerium) ternary alloy carried on carbon materials, wherein the noble metal is at least one member selected from among Pt, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag and Au, the base metal is at least one member selected from among Ir, Co, Fe, Ni and Mn, and the relative proportion (i.e., the molar proportion) of noble metal:base metal:Ce (cerium) is 20 to 95:5 to 60:0.1 to 3. The electrode catalyst for a fuel cell inhibits deterioration of an electrolyte membrane or an electrolyte in an electrode catalyst layer, improves durability, and, in particular, improves the capacity for power generation in the high current density region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Cataler Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Yosuke Horiuchi, Takahiro Nagata, Tomoaki Terada, Toshiharu Tabata
  • Patent number: 8178260
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of catalytic metal such as Pt in a fuel cell. The present invention provides a fuel cell electrode catalyst comprising a conductive carrier and catalytic metal particles, wherein the CO adsorption amount of the electrode catalyst is at least 30mL/g·Pt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignees: Cataler Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yosuke Horiuchi, Tomoaki Terada, Takahiro Nagata, Toshiharu Tabata, Susumu Enomoto, Hiroaki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20120040270
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of catalytic metal such as Pt in a fuel cell. The present invention provides a fuel cell electrode catalyst comprising a conductive carrier and catalytic metal particles, wherein the CO adsorption amount of the electrode catalyst is at least 30 mL/g·Pt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventors: Yosuke HORIUCHI, Tomoaki TERADA, Takahiro NAGATA, Toshiharu TABATA, Susumu ENOMOTO, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20110236791
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to optimize an anode catalyst layer such that high output performance can be achieved even under low-humidity conditions. In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having such an anode catalyst layer. The following is obtained: an anode catalyst layer for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, which comprises a carbon support on which a catalyst is carried and a hydrogen ion-conductive polyelectrolyte, and wherein the catalyst is carried by a carbon support for which the hydrophilic characteristic value specified based on a value representing the amount of adsorbed water vapor/the amount of adsorbed nitrogen is 0.02 or less, or the hydrophilic characteristic value for the catalyst-carrying carbon support is 0.30 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Nami Endoh, Sozaburo Ohashi, Tetsuo Nagami, Toshiharu Tabata, Tomohiro Ishida, Mikihiro Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20110200917
    Abstract: An electrode catalyst for a fuel cell, which is capable of maintaining power generation capacity for long periods and has good durability, is provided. The electrode catalyst for a fuel cell is produced by causing a high crystalline carbon carrier with a carbon crystallization degree ranging from 57% to 90% to support a catalytic metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Yosuke Horiuchi, Tomoaki Terada, Takahiro Nagata, Toshiharu Tabata, Mikihiro Kataoka
  • Patent number: 7910512
    Abstract: To provide a production process of an electrode catalyst for fuel cell whose initial voltage is high and whose endurance characteristics, especially, whose voltage drop being caused by high-potential application is less. A production process according to the present invention of an electrode catalyst for fuel cell is characterized in that: it includes: a dispersing step of dispersing a conductive support in a solution; a loading step of dropping a platinum-salt solution, a base-metal-salt solution and an iridium-salt solution to the resulting dispersion liquid, thereby loading respective metallic salts on the conductive support as hydroxides under an alkaline condition; and an alloying step of heating the conductive support with metallic hydroxides loaded in a reducing atmosphere to reduce them, thereby alloying them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Cataler Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Sozaburo Ohashi, Tetsuo Kawamura, Yousuke Horiuchi, Toshiharu Tabata, Tomoaki Terada, Takahiro Nagata, Susumu Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20100203428
    Abstract: A supported catalyst for fuel cell includes a conductive carrier and platinum supported on the conductive carrier. A 90% particle diameter D90 on a cumulative particle size curve obtained by determining a particle size distribution of the supported catalyst by a light scattering method is 28 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicants: CATALER CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiharu TABATA, Tomoaki Terada, Takahiro Nagata, Mikihiro Kataoka, Hiroaki Takahashi, Nobuaki Mizutani, Yousuke Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20100196802
    Abstract: A fuel cell having an excellent life property is achieved. A supported catalyst for a fuel cell includes a catalytic particle made of an alloy of platinum and gold, and a conductive carrier supporting the catalytic particle. 50% or more of gold forms a solid solution with platinum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicants: CATALER CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiharu TABATA, Tomoaki Terada, Takahiro Nagata, Mikihiro Kataoka, Hiroaki Takahashi, Nobuaki Mizutani, Yousuke Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20100183942
    Abstract: This invention relates to an electrode catalyst for a fuel cell comprising catalyst metal particles of noble metal-base metal-Ce (cerium) ternary alloy carried on carbon materials, wherein the noble metal is at least one member selected from among Pt, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag and Au, the base metal is at least one member selected from among Ir, Co, Fe, Ni and Mn, and the relative proportion (i.e., the molar proportion) of noble metal:base metal:Ce (cerium) is 20 to 95:5 to 60:0.1 to 3. The electrode catalyst for a fuel cell inhibits deterioration of an electrolyte membrane or an electrolyte in an electrode catalyst layer, improves durability, and, in particular, improves the capacity for power generation in the high current density region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, CATALER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Yosuke Horiuchi, Takahiro Nagata, Tomoaki Terada, Toshiharu Tabata
  • Publication number: 20090233135
    Abstract: A fuel cell catalyst in which catalyst particles are supported on a carrier is provided, wherein the value of the average catalyst carrier pore diameter/the catalyst metal (PGM) particle diameter is 0.5 to 1.8. Such fuel cell catalyst is less likely to cause voltage drops even after being used for a long period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicants: CATALER CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yosuke Horiuchi, Tomoaki Terada, Takahiro Nagata, Toshiharu Tabata, Susumu Enomoto, Hiroaki Takahashi, Katsushi Saito
  • Publication number: 20090169974
    Abstract: A conductive carbon carrier for a fuel cell having at least a surface layer graphitized, characterized in that the dimension (La) in a six-membered ring face (carbon plane) direction of a crystallite measured by X-ray diffraction is 4.5 nm or more. This carbon carrier improves the durability in a fuel cell and enables operation for a long period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicants: CATALER CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiharu Tabata, Tomoaki Terada, Takahiro Nagata, Susumu Enomoto, Yosuke Horiuchi, Hiroaki Takahashi, Tetsuo Kawamura, Hideyasu Kawai
  • Publication number: 20090117448
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of catalytic metal such as Pt in a fuel cell. The present invention provides a fuel cell electrode catalyst comprising a conductive carrier and catalytic metal particles, wherein the CO adsorption amount of the electrode catalyst is at least 30 mL/g·Pt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Yosuke Horiuchi, Tomoaki Terada, Takahiro Nagata, Toshiharu Tabata, Susumu Enomoto, Hiroaki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20090099009
    Abstract: To provide a production process of an electrode catalyst for fuel cell whose initial voltage is high and whose endurance characteristics, especially, whose voltage drop being caused by high-potential application is less. A production process according to the present invention of an electrode catalyst for fuel cell is characterized in that: it includes: a dispersing step of dispersing a conductive support in a solution; a loading step of dropping a platinum-salt solution, a base-metal-salt solution and an iridium-salt solution to the resulting dispersion liquid, thereby loading respective metallic salts on the conductive support as hydroxides under an alkaline condition; and an alloying step of heating the conductive support with metallic hydroxides loaded in a reducing atmosphere to reduce them, thereby alloying them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Sozaburo Ohashi, Tetsuo Kawamura, Yousuke Horiuchi, Toshiharu Tabata, Tomoaki Terada, Takahiro Nagata, Susumu Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20090092888
    Abstract: To enhance the activation of a catalyst comprising an alloy of platinum and cobalt, thereby providing an electrode catalyst for fuel cell whose battery output and fuel efficiency are high, and thereby providing a production process of the same. An electrode catalyst according to the present invention for fuel cell is an electrode catalyst for fuel cell in which catalytic particles comprising platinum and cobalt are loaded on a conductive support, and is characterized in that a compositional (molar) ratio of said catalytic particles is platinum:cobalt=3:1-5:1: In the range of platinum:cobalt=3:1-5:1, a high battery voltage is obtainable. When the proportion of platinum is less than platinum: cobalt=3:1, the elution of cobalt from out of catalyst increases. On the contrarily, when the proportion of platinum is more than platinum: cobalt=5:1, the catalytic activities become low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Sozaburo Ohashi, Tetsuo Kawamura, Yousuke Horiuchi, Takahiro Nagata, Tomoaki Terada, Toshiharu Tabata, Susumu Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20090047559
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to further increase the rate of Pt particles (Pt utilization rate) for three-phase interfaces in order to reduce the amount of catalytic metal such as Pt used for fuel cells. The present invention provides a fuel cell electrode catalyst comprising a conductive carrier and catalytic metal particles, wherein an average particle size of the carried catalytic metal particles is larger than an average pore size of micropores in the conductive carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: Tomoaki Terada, Takahiro Nagata, Toshiharu Tabata, Susumu Enomoto, Hideyasu Kawai, Hiroaki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20080090128
    Abstract: A flooding phenomenon is suppressed in a high current density loading region so as to attempt the improvement of cell performance of fuel cells. An electrode catalyst for fuel cells, in which a catalyst comprising an alloy catalyst composed of a noble metal and one or more transition metals and having surface characteristics such that it shows a pH value in water of 6.0 or more is supported on conductive carriers, and a fuel cell using such electrode catalyst for fuel cells, are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, CATALER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsushi Saito, Hiroaki Takahashi, Hideyasu Kawai, Toshiharu Tabata, Takahiro Nagata, Tomoaki Terada, Yosuke Horiuchi, Norihiko Setoyama, Takahiko Asaoka
  • Patent number: 7223493
    Abstract: Provided is a supported catalyst for a fuel cell, containing a conductive support and a platinum alloy supported thereby, wherein an elution ratio of transition metal other than platinum is 30% or less when 0.5 g of the supported catalyst is stirred at room temperature in 30 mL of 0.1N aqueous sulfuric acid solution for 800 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignees: Cataler Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoaki Terada, Toshiharu Tabata, Hiroaki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20060051657
    Abstract: Provided is a supported catalyst for a fuel cell, containing a conductive support and a platinum alloy supported thereby, wherein an elution ratio of transition metal other than platinum is 30% or less when 0.5 g of the supported catalyst is stirred at room temperature in 30 mL of 0.1N aqueous sulfuric acid solution for 800 hours.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Applicants: CATALER CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoaki Terada, Toshiharu Tabata, Hiroaki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20030209296
    Abstract: A hydrogen containing material comprises a first compound including hydrogen containing material and fluoride, and a second compound including a metal which becomes highly reactive with hydrogen when the metal becomes a compound including fluorine, and a compound including fluorine. The first compound and the second compound are integrally formed into a one-piece layer on the surface of the hydrogen containing material. The metal which becomes highly reactive with hydrogen when the metal becomes a compound including fluorine is at least one metal selected from a rare earth metal, rare earth alloy, Fe, Al, Mg, Ca, Mn, Zn, Zr, Li, or alloys comprising these elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicants: The Japan Steel Works, Ltd., Stella Chemifa Corporation
    Inventors: Fumiaki Aono, Toshiharu Tabata, Akiyoshi Kosuge, Hirohisa Kikuyama, Hiroto Izumi