Abstract: A fuel cell equipped with at least an air electrode side power collector layer, an air electrode catalyst layer, a polymer electrolyte membrane, a fuel electrode catalyst layer and a fuel electrode side power collector layer and provided with a porous body layer having a porous body at a liquid fuel side of the fuel electrode side power collector layer assumes a structure in which the porous body layer is provided with a gas flow velocity (superficial velocity in the layer) of 10 to 5000 cm/s at a differential pressure of 100 kPa. The porous body layer is a diffusion medium of a fuel into the fuel electrode catalyst layer and a discharge resistor of gases comprising carbon dioxide and steam which are electrode reaction products and a vapor of the liquid fuel in progress of electrode reaction. An interface of the gases and a gases layer are also provided.

Abstract: A fuel container includes a container body having a fuel discharge port and an interior spacing. A body of liquid fuel is filled in the interior spacing of the container body. Follower units are provided in the container body, in contact with at least a part of an end of the body of the liquid fuel. Solid follower auxiliary members are interposed between the follower units and the body of liquid fuel to be optically detectable.

Abstract: A fixing heater is provided that employs, as a heating element, a material having small heat capacity and excellent wear resistance. A metal or semi-metal compound that can act as an electrical conduction inhibiting material is mixed into a carbon-containing resin such as a furan resin, chlorinated vinyl chloride resin, etc., and a pattern of a heating element is formed on a substrate, by screen printing, and then is sintered at temperature of about 1000° C. to obtain a fixing heater including amorphous carbon and having NTC characteristics.

Abstract: A carbonaceous acoustic diaphragm whose density is reduced while retaining the required stiffness is provided. Carbon nanofibers and spherical particles of PMMA are mixed into a carbon-containing resin such as a polyvinyl chloride resin, and the mixture is carbonized to vaporize the spherical particles of PMMA, thereby forming a porous structure having pores with the carbon nanofibers in a powdered form uniformly dispersed through amorphous carbon. By forming a multilayer structure by combining the porous layer with a layer that does not use PMMA, the density can be further reduced while retaining the stiffness.

Abstract: A fixing heater is provided that employs, as a heating element, a material having small heat capacity and excellent wear resistance. A metal or semi-metal compound that can act as an electrical conduction inhibiting material is mixed into a carbon-containing resin such as a furan resin, chlorinated vinyl chloride resin, etc., and a pattern of a heating element is formed on a substrate, by screen printing, and then is sintered at temperature of about 1000° C. to obtain a fixing heater including amorphous carbon and having NTC characteristics.

Abstract: The fuel reservoir for a fuel cell is a fuel reservoir detachably connected with a fuel cell main body, and it is equipped with a fuel-storing vessel of a tube type for storing a liquid fuel and a fuel discharge part; the fuel discharge part is provided with a valve for sealing communication between the inside and the outside of the above fuel-storing vessel; and a follower which seals the liquid fuel and moves as the liquid fuel is consumed is disposed in the rear end part of the liquid fuel stored. The valve assumes a structure in which a slit is formed in an elastic material and a structure in which a valve member is pressed by a resilient body.

Abstract: The invention provides a substrate suitable for cell culture observation and a method of observation using the same. Crystalline carbon such as a graphite powder is mixed into a thermosetting resin such as a furan resin, and the mixture is molded in the shape of a sheet and carbonized to produce a carbon substrate; then, a cell is made to adhere to the carbon substrate, and the cell is caused to proliferate on the carbon substrate and observed using a microscope.

Abstract: A carbonaceous acoustic diaphragm whose density is reduced while retaining the required stiffness is provided. Carbon nanofibers and spherical particles of PMMA are mixed into a carbon-containing resin such as a polyvinyl chloride resin, and the mixture is carbonized to vaporize the spherical particles of PMMA, thereby forming a porous structure having pores with the carbon nanofibers in a powdered form uniformly dispersed through amorphous carbon. By forming a multilayer structure by combining the porous layer with a layer that does not use PMMA, the density can be further reduced while retaining the stiffness.

Abstract: A fuel cell is equipped with a fuel cell main body, a liquid fuel-storing tank for storing a liquid fuel and a fuel-supplying member which has a penetrating structure and is connected with the liquid fuel-storing tank and which supplies the liquid fuel to the liquid fuel main body, wherein the liquid fuel-storing tank is provided with a liquid fuel reservoir comprising a cylindrical fuel-storing vessel for storing the liquid fuel, a fuel discharge part provided at a lower part of the fuel-storing vessel and having a fuel discharge valve and a follower which is disposed at a rear end of the liquid fuel stored in the fuel-storing vessel and which moves as the liquid fuel is consumed, a housing box member which encompasses at least a part of the liquid fuel reservoir via a space part in the periphery of the liquid fuel reservoir and whose rear end part is closed and pressurized gas which is filled in the space part.

Abstract: A fuel cell equipped with at least an air electrode side power collector layer, an air electrode catalyst layer, a polymer electrolyte membrane, a fuel electrode catalyst layer and a fuel electrode side power collector layer and provided with a porous body layer having a porous body at a liquid fuel side of the fuel electrode side power collector layer assumes a structure in which the porous body layer is provided with a gas flow velocity (superficial velocity in the layer) of 10 to 5000 cm/s at a differential pressure of 100 kPa. The porous body layer is a diffusion medium of a fuel into the fuel electrode catalyst layer and a discharge resistor of gases comprising carbon dioxide and steam which are electrode reaction products and a vapor of the liquid fuel in progress of electrode reaction. An interface of the gases and a gases layer are also provided.

Abstract: The fuel reservoir for a fuel cell is a fuel reservoir detachably connected with a fuel cell main body, and it is equipped with a fuel-storing vessel of a tube type for storing a liquid fuel and a fuel discharge part; the fuel discharge part is provided with a valve for sealing communication between the inside and the outside of the above fuel-storing vessel. The valve assumes a structure in which a slit is formed in an elastic material and a structure in which a valve member is pressed by a resilient body, and is opened by inserting a fuel-supplying member.

Abstract: In order to provide a separator for a fuel cell which is improved in cell characteristics by controlling a wetting property of the separator for a fuel cell and a production process for the same, assumed is a constitution in which in a separator A for a fuel cell molded from at least from a carbon material, a hydrophilic functional group is formed and increased on a surface part of a flow passage surface 11 in the separator 10 by irradiation treatment of a YAG laser apparatus 20 and in which an uneven part having an average surface roughness Ra of less than 50 ?m is formed.

Abstract: This invention provides a separator for a fuel battery, which has been improved in battery properties by controlling the wettability of the separator for a fuel battery, and a process for producing the same. The separator for a fuel battery is a separator (A) for a fuel battery, comprising at least a carbon material, and a concave-convex part, which, upon irradiation treatment with a YAG laser device (20), forms and increases hydrophilic functional groups and, at the same time, provides an average surface roughness Ra of less than 50 ?m, is provided on the surface part of a flow passage face (11) in the separator (10).

Abstract: A liquid fuel is contained in a fuel container, and the liquid fuel is discharged from a fuel outlet. Further, a water is contained in a water containing pipe provided in the fuel container, and the water is discharged from a water outlet to the outside. Air taken into the fuel container through a dustproof filter attached to a rear lid portion of the fuel container is discharged to the outside from an oxygen source outlet through an oxygen source pipe. The fuel outlet, oxygen source outlet and water outlet are provided in a front outer surface of the front lid portion.

Abstract: A direct methanol fuel cell comprises a multiple number of connected unit cells, each composed of a fuel electrode element of a microporous carbon material, an electrolyte layer formed on the outer surface of the fuel electrode element, an air electrode layer formed on the outer surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein each unit cell is supplied with fuel from a fuel reservoir through a fuel feeder having an infiltration structure coupled therebetween.

Abstract: In order to provide a fuel reservoir for a small-sized fuel cell which is suitably used as an electric power source for portable electronic appliances such as cellular phones, note type personal computers and PDA, assumed is a structure in which a fuel reservoir for a fuel cell detachably connected with a fuel cell main body is equipped with a fuel-storing vessel for storing a liquid fuel, a fuel discharge part and a follower which seals the liquid fuel and moves as the liquid fuel is consumed and into which a follower auxiliary member is inserted at a rear end of the liquid fuel, wherein the follower auxiliary member has no fluidity and is insoluble in the liquid fuel, and it has a cross-sectional area of 50% or more based on a cross-sectional area of the fuel-storing vessel in a diameter direction.

Abstract: The fuel reservoir for a fuel cell is a fuel reservoir detachably connected with a fuel cell main body, and it is equipped with a fuel-storing vessel of a tube type for storing a liquid fuel and a fuel discharge part; the fuel discharge part is provided with a valve for sealing communication between the inside and the outside of the above fuel-storing vessel. The valve assumes a structure in which a slit is formed in an elastic material and a structure in which a valve member is pressed by a resilient body, and is opened by inserting a fuel-supplying member.

Abstract: A direct methanol fuel cell comprises a multiple number of connected unit cells, each composed of a fuel electrode element of a microporous carbon material, an electrolyte layer formed on the outer surface of the fuel electrode element, an air electrode layer formed on the outer surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein each unit cell is supplied with fuel from a fuel reservoir through a fuel feeder having an infiltration structure coupled therebetween.

Abstract: The fuel reservoir for a fuel cell is a fuel reservoir detachably connected with a fuel cell main body, and it is equipped with a fuel-storing vessel of a tube type for storing a liquid fuel and a fuel discharge part; the fuel discharge part is provided with a valve for sealing communication between the inside and the outside of the above fuel-storing vessel. The valve assumes a structure in which a slit is formed in an elastic material and a structure in which a valve member is pressed by a resilient body, and is opened by inserting a fuel-supplying member.

Abstract: A direct methanol fuel cell comprises a multiple number of connected unit cells, each composed of a fuel electrode element of a microporous carbon material, an electrolyte layer formed on the outer surface of the fuel electrode element, an air electrode layer formed on the outer surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein each unit cell is supplied with fuel from a fuel reservoir through a fuel feeder having an infiltration structure coupled therebetween.