Abstract: In various embodiments, a solid oxide fuel cell features a functional layer for reducing interfacial resistance between the cathode and the solid electrolyte.

Abstract: Methods for forming a metal oxide electrolyte improve ionic conductivity. Some of those methods involve applying a first metal compound to a substrate, converting that metal compound to a metal oxide, applying a different metal compound to the metal oxide, and converting the different metal compound to form a second metal oxide. That substrate may be in nanobar form that conforms to an orientation imparted by a magnetic field or an electric field applied before or during the converting. Electrolytes so formed can be used in solid oxide fuel cells, electrolyzers, and sensors, among other applications.

Abstract: The invention essentially consists of proposing a novel reactor or fuel cell architecture having an active section of the catalytic material for methanation or reforming reaction integrated into the electrode which varies with the composition of the gases, as they are distributed in accordance with the electrochemistry on said electrode.

Abstract: A cell that includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a membrane interposed between the electrodes, and that is used in a redox flow battery, wherein the membrane includes an ion permeable portion that is permeable to hydrogen ions, at least at a center of the membrane in a plan view, planar areas of the positive electrode and the negative electrode are both 250 cm2 or more, and a planar area of the ion permeable portion is smaller than each of the planar areas of the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and, in the ion permeable portion, a planar area of a facing portion that actually faces the positive electrode and the negative electrode is 50% or more and 99.9% or less of a smaller of the planar areas of the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolyte composition includes zirconia stabilized with scandia, and at least one of magnesia, zinc oxide, indium oxide, and gallium oxide, and optionally ceria in addition to the oxides above.

Abstract: Described herein is a process for the reduction of carbon dioxide comprising: providing an electrochemical device comprising an anode, a cathode, and a polymeric anion exchange membrane therebetween, wherein the polymeric anion exchange membrane comprises an anion exchange polymer, wherein the anion exchange polymer comprises at least one positively charged group selected from a guanidinium, a guanidinium derivative, an N-alkyl conjugated heterocyclic cation, or combinations thereof; introducing a composition comprising carbon dioxide to the cathode; and applying electrical energy to the electrochemical device to effect electrochemical reduction of the carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Articles and methods including additives in electrochemical cells, are generally provided. As described herein, such electrochemical cells may comprise an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, and optionally a separator. In some embodiments, at least one of the anode, the cathode, the electrolyte, and/or the optional separator may comprise an additive and/or additive precursor. For instance, in some cases, the electrochemical cell comprises an electrolyte and an additive and/or additive precursor that is soluble with and/or is present in the electrolyte. In some embodiments, the additive precursor comprises a disulfide bond. In certain embodiments, the additive is a carbon disulfide salt. In some cases, the electrolyte may comprise a nitrate.

Abstract: Articles and methods including additives in electrochemical cells, are generally provided. As described herein, such electrochemical cells may comprise an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, and optionally a separator. In some embodiments, at least one of the anode, the cathode, the electrolyte, and/or the optional separator may comprise an additive and/or additive precursor. For instance, in some cases, the electrochemical cell comprises an electrolyte and an additive and/or additive precursor that is soluble with and/or is present in the electrolyte. In some embodiments, the additive precursor comprises a disulfide bond. In certain embodiments, the additive is a carbon disulfide salt. In some cases, the electrolyte may comprise a nitrate.

Abstract: A group of novel compounds containing one or more amino substituted DOPO (9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-phosphaphenthren-10-oxide) moieties. The compounds were found to have good flame retardant properties and also good thermal stability, which makes them particularly suitable as flame retardant additives for various thermoplastic polymers. In particular, they can be incorporated in a polyurethane foam.

Abstract: Catalytic materials with high activity in various chemical reactions as well as high durability are described. The catalytic materials are composed of specific, hybrid combinations of inorganic/polymeric compounds containing metal nano-particles therein, and can be easily reused with negligible catalysts leaching. They are particularly useful, but not limited to, the hydrogenation of substituted ?,? unsaturated acids or esters.

Abstract: A polymer comprising a first repeating unit represented by Formula 1: wherein R1 to R13 and Ar1 in Formula 1 are defined in the specification.

Abstract: Fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies and fuel cell polymer electrolyte membranes are provided comprising bound anionic functional groups and polyvalent cations, such as Mn or Ru cations, which demonstrate increased durability. Methods of making same are also provided.

Abstract: An interconnector, or bipolar plate, for a high-temperature solid electrolyte fuel cell is composed of a sintered chromium alloy which has sintering pores and contains >90% by weight of Cr, from 3 to 8% by weight of Fe and optionally from 0.001 to 2% by weight of at least one element of the group of rare earth metals. The chromium alloy contains from 0.1 to 2% by weight of Al and the sintering pores are at least partially filled with an oxidic compound containing Al and Cr. The interconnector has a high impermeability to gas and dimensional stability.

Abstract: A multilayered membrane for use with fuel cells and related applications. The multilayered membrane includes a carrier film, at least one layer of an undoped conductive polymer electrolyte material applied onto the carrier film, and at least one layer of a conductive polymer electrolyte material applied onto the adjacent layer of polymer electrolyte material. Each layer of conductive polymer electrolyte material is doped with a plurality of nanoparticles. Each layer of undoped electrolyte material and doped electrolyte material may be applied in an alternating configuration, or alternatively, adjacent layers of doped conductive polymer electrolyte material is employed.

Abstract: Proton exchange membrane compositions having high proton conductivity are provided. The proton exchange membrane composition includes a hyper-branched polymer, wherein the hyper-branched polymer has a DB (degree of branching) of more than 0.5. A polymer with high ion conductivity is distributed uniformly over the hyper-branched polymer, wherein the hyper-branched polymer has a weight ratio equal to or more than 5 wt %, based on the solid content of the proton exchange membrane composition.

Abstract: A solid oxide electrochemical cell of an embodiment includes: a cathode; an anode; and an electrolyte layer interposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein a porous region exists in a layer form in a region with a depth of 50% or less of the electrolyte layer from an anode side surface toward the cathode in the electrolyte layer or between the electrolyte layer and the anode.

Abstract: New proton conducting membranes are made of perfluorosulfonic acid polymers films that have been treated by exposing them to a chlorosulfonating agent. The membranes are used as a proton exchange membrane in PEM fuel cells operating at temperatures above 95° C., or at low relative humidity. In various embodiments, the treated films have superior physical properties such as tensile strength, when compared to an untreated film. In some embodiments, the ion exchange capacity (IEC) of the treated films is increased.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte including a layered metal oxide represented by the formula (1), (La1-xAx)(Sr1-yBy)3(Co1-zCz)3O10-???(1) [wherein A represents a rare earth element other than La; B represents Mg, Ca, or Ba; C represents Ti, V, Cr, or Mn; 0?x<1, 0?y<1, 0?z<1; and ? represents an oxygen deficiency amount].

Abstract: An electrolyte membrane which comprises a cation exchange membrane made of a polymer having cation exchange groups and contains cerium ions is used as an electrolyte membrane for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. In a case where the cation exchange membrane has sulfonic acid groups, the sulfonic acid groups are ion-exchanged, for example, with cerium ions so that cerium ions are contained preferably in an amount of from 0.3 to 20% of —SO3? groups contained in the cation exchange membrane. A membrane for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell capable of power generation in high energy efficiency, having high power generation performance regardless of the dew point of the feed gas and capable of stable power generation over a long period of time, can be provided.

Abstract: Shaped microporous articles are produced from polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and nucleating agents using thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) processes. The shaped microporous article is oriented in at least one direction at a stretch ratio of at least approximately 1.1 to 1.0. The shaped article may also comprise a diluent, glyceryl triacetate. The shaped microporous article may also have the micropores filled with a sufficient quantity of ion conducting electrolyte to allow the membrane to function as an ion conductive membrane. The method of making a microporous article comprises the steps of melt blending polyvinylidene fluoride, nucleating agent and glyceryl triacetate; forming a shaped article of the mixture; cooling the shaped article to cause crystallization of the polyvinylidene fluoride and phase separation of the polyvinylidene fluoride and glyceryl triacetate; and stretching the shaped article in at least one direction at a stretch ratio of at least approximately 1.1 to 1.0.

Abstract: A novel approach based on the increase of the intrinsic oxidative stability of uncrosslinked membranes is addressed. The co-grafting of styrene with methacrylonitrile (MAN), which possesses a protected ?-position and strong dipolar pendant nitrile group, onto 25 ?m ETFE base film is disclosed. Styrene/MAN co-grafted membranes were compared to styrene based membrane in durability tests in single H2/O2 fuel cells. The incorporation of MAN improves the chemical stability dramatically. The membrane preparation based on the copolymerization of styrene and MAN shows encouraging results and offers the opportunity of tuning the MAN and crosslinker content to enhance the oxidative stability of the resulting fuel cell membranes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) including a porous fuel electrode which allows reaction of a fuel gas to proceed and which is formed of Ni and YSZ, a porous air electrode which allows reaction of an oxygen-containing gas to proceed, and a dense solid electrolyte membrane which is provided between the fuel electrode and the air electrode and which has an interface with the fuel electrode. In the fuel electrode, Ni grains present in a region located within 3 ?m from the interface (i.e., a “near-interface region”) have a mean size of 0.28 to 0.80 ?m, YSZ grains present in the near-interface region have a mean size of 0.28 to 0.80 ?m, and pores present in the near-interface region have a mean size of 0.10 to 0.87 ?m. Thus, the fuel electrode of the SOFC exhibits low reaction resistance.

Abstract: A planar high temperature fuel cell, a use and a method of manufacture are discloses. The planar high-temperature fuel cell with includes a layer structure. The layer structure includes a cathode layer, an anode layer and a solid electrolyte layer disposed between the cathode layer and the anode layer. Each of the layers are planar. A porous metal structure is used as the support for the layer structure and is also planar.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the preparation of sol-gel modified alternative Nafion-Silica composite membrane useful for polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The said composite membrane is made by embedding silica particles in perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer by a process that circumvents the use of added acid while using acidic characteristics of Nafion and polymerization reaction through a sol-gel route. The composite membrane has high affinity for water with capability to exchange protons. The approach may be used to manufacture polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells operating at elevated temperatures under near-zero humidity.

Abstract: A bonding layer, disposed between an interconnect layer and an electrode layer of a solid oxide fuel cell article, may be formed from a yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) powder having a monomodal particle size distribution (PSD) with a d50 that is greater than about 1 ?m and a d90 that is greater than about 2 ?m.

Abstract: A c-axis-oriented HAP thin film synthesized by seeded growth on a palladium hydrogen membrane substrate. An exemplary synthetic process includes electrochemical seeding on the substrate, and secondary and tertiary hydrothermal treatments under conditions that favor growth along c-axes and a-axes in sequence. By adjusting corresponding synthetic conditions, an HAP this film can be grown to a controllable thickness with a dense coverage on the underlying substrate. The thin films have relatively high proton conductivity under hydrogen atmosphere and high temperature conditions. The c-axis oriented films may be integrated into fuel cells for application in the intermediate temperature range of 200-600° C. The electrochemical-hydrothermal deposition technique may be applied to create other oriented crystal materials having optimized properties, useful for separations and catalysis as well as electronic and electrochemical applications, electrochemical membrane reactors, and in chemical sensors.

Abstract: A polymer-electrolyte membrane is presented. The polymer-electrolyte membrane comprises an acid-functional polymer, and an additive incorporated in at least a portion of the membrane. The additive comprises a fluorinated cycloaliphatic additive, a hydrophobic cycloaliphatic additive, or combinations thereof, wherein the additive has a boiling point greater than about 120° C. An electrochemical fuel cell including the polymer-electrolyte membrane, and a related method, are also presented.

Abstract: Organic/inorganic complex proton conductors are provided which display high proton conductivity over a wide temperature range. Electrodes for fuel cells which include the organic/inorganic complex proton conductors are also provided. The invention also advantageously provides electrolyte membranes for fuel cells including the organic/inorganic complex proton conductors, and fuel cells including the organic/inorganic complex proton conductors.

Abstract: The manufacture and calibration of an interconnect for a fuel cell ensures contact in all contact points between the interconnect and the adjacent electrodes.

Abstract: Provided is a solid electrolyte including an epitaxial thin film crystal made of an electrolyte containing at least lithium.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polymer membrane for a battery including a porous support including a fiber including a core including a high melting-point polymer; and a sheath including a low melting-point polymer surrounding the core, and a method of preparing the same. The polymer membrane for a battery may further include a proton conductive polymer.

Abstract: In a fuel cell 1 including a membrane electrode assembly 2 which includes a reinforcing-membrane-type electrolyte membrane 10A, a dry-up on the anode side is suppressed by actively forming a water content gradient in the electrolyte membrane to enhance water back-diffusion effect from the cathode side to the anode side. For that purpose, two sheets of expanded porous membranes 12a and 12b having different porosities are buried, as reinforcing membranes, in electrolyte resin 11 to obtain the reinforcing-membrane-type electrolyte membrane 10A. The reinforcing-membrane-type electrolyte membrane 10A is used to form the membrane electrode assembly 2, which is sandwiched by separators 20 and 30 such that the side of a reinforcing membrane 12b with a larger porosity becomes the cathode side, thus obtaining the fuel cell 1. When one sheet of the reinforcing membrane is buried, the reinforcing membrane is offset to the anode side to be buried in the electrolyte resin.

Abstract: A proton selective membrane for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells that is produced by providing one or more template molecules, providing one or more functional monomers to interact with the template molecules, providing a cross-linking agent(s) to covalently bond polymer chains created with the template molecules and functional monomers by polymerization, providing an initiating agent to start a chemical reaction which results in an imprinted polymer, and removing the template molecules from the imprinted polymer to create a proton selective membrane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel proton-conducting polymer membrane based on polyazoles which can, owing to its excellent chemical and thermal properties, be used for a variety of purposes and is particularly suitable as a polymer-electrolyte membrane (PEM) for the production of membrane electrode units for so-called PEM fuel cells.

Abstract: A method of producing a reversible solid oxide cell. The method includes the steps of tape casting an anode support layer on a support (1); tape casting an anode layer on a support (2); tape casting an electrolyte layer on a support (3); and either laminating said anode layer on top of said anode support layer; removing said support (2) from said anode layer; laminating said electrolyte layer on top of said anode layer; and sintering the multilayer structure; or laminating said anode layer on top of said electrolyte layer; removing said support (2) from said anode layer; laminating said anode support layer on top of said anode layer; and sintering the multilayer structure.

Abstract: A fuel cell comprises at least two current collectors, an electrically insulating separator element and solid electrolyte. Each current collector comprises at least one transverse passage passing through it from a first surface to a second surface and the separator element comprising opposite first and second faces is arranged between the current collectors. A plurality of transverse channels pass through the separator element from the first face to the second face and the ionically conducting solid electrolyte occupies the volume bounded by the channels of the separator element and by the passages of the current collectors. The separator element is formed by a thermoplastic polymer material and hard particles are arranged in the transverse channels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel proton-conducting polymer membrane based on polyazoles which can, owing to its excellent chemical and thermal properties, be used for a variety of purposes and is particularly suitable as a polymer-electrolyte membrane (PEM) for the production of membrane electrode units for so-called PEM fuel cells.

Abstract: An electrochemical system with reduced limiting-current behavior is disclosed. The electrochemical system is useful for fuel cells and bio-sensors. In part, the invention relates a method of reducing or eliminating limiting-current behavior in the operation electrochemical systems, in particular those with ion-selective membrane or electrochemical electrodes, by spatially reducing the convection near the membrane or the electrode. The invention further relates to electrochemical systems in which micropores, microarrays or pillar arrays are used to reduce convection in comparison to conventional systems without microarrays, micropores or pillar arrays.

Abstract: To provide an ionic electrolyte membrane structure that enables contact between the air pole and the fuel pole in which structure an edge face of the interface between an ion conducting layer and an ion non-conducting layer stands bare on a plane, an ionic electrolyte membrane structure which transmits ions only is made up of i) a substrate having a plurality of pores which have been made through the substrate in the thickness direction thereof and ii) a plurality of multi-layer membranes each comprising an ion conducting layer formed of an ion conductive material and an ion non-conducting layer formed of an ion non-conductive material which have alternately been formed in laminae a plurality of times on each inner wall surface of the pores of the substrate in such a way that the multi-layer membranes fill up the pores completely; the ions only being transmitted in the through direction by way of the multi-layer membranes provided on the inner wall surfaces of the pores.

Abstract: A membrane/electrode assembly for fuel cell applications includes an ion conducting polymer and a porphyrin-containing compound at least partially dispersed within the ion conducting polymer, a first electrode and a second electrode. At least one of the first and second electrodes also includes the porphyrin-containing compound. The membrane/electrode assembly exhibits improved performance over membrane/electrode assembly not incorporating such porphyrin-containing compounds.

Abstract: Provided is a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), including: a fuel electrode for allowing a fuel gas to be reacted; an air electrode for allowing a gas containing oxygen to be reacted; an electrolyte film provided between the fuel electrode and the air electrode; and a reaction prevention film provided between the air electrode and the electrolyte film. The porosity of the reaction prevention film is less than 10%, particularly preferably “closed pore-ratio” is 50% or more. The diameter of closed pores in the reaction prevention film is 0.1 to 3 ?m. The reaction prevention film includes closed pores each containing a component (e.g., Sr) for the air electrode. This can provide an SOFC in which a decrease in output due to an increase in electric resistance between an air electrode and a solid electrolyte film hardly occurs even after long-term use.

Abstract: An amorphous carbon having sulfonate group introduced therein is provided which is characterized in that chemical shifts of a condensed aromatic carbon 6-membered ring and a condensed aromatic carbon 6-membered ring having sulfonate group bonded thereto are detected in a 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum and that at least a diffraction peak of carbon (002) face whose half-value width (2?) is in the range of 5 to 30° is detected in powder X-ray diffractometry, and which exhibits proton conductivity. This sulfonated amorphous carbon is very useful as a proton conductor material or solid acid catalyst because it excels in proton conductivity, acid catalytic activity, thermal stability and chemical stability and can be produced at low cost.

Abstract: A method of preparing a metal-doped oxide, the method including: preparing a precursor solution including a zirconium precursor or cerium precursor, a dopant metal precursor, a solvent, and a chloride salt; and heat-treating the precursor solution to prepare the metal-doped oxide. Also an oxide including: a metal-doped zirconia or metal-doped ceria; and chlorine.

Abstract: A plurality of tubular solid oxide fuel cells are embedded in a solid phase porous foam matrix that serves as a support structure for the fuel cells. The foam matrix has multiple regions with at least one property differing between at least two regions. The properties include porosity, electrical conductivity, and catalyst loading.

Abstract: A solid oxide electrolyte including an oxide represented by Formula 1: (1?a?b)(Ce1-xMaxO2-?)+a(Mb)+b(Mc)??Formula 1 wherein 0<a<0.2, 0<b<0.2, 0<x<0.5, ? is selected so that the Ce1-xMaxO2-? is electrically neutral, Ma is a rare-earth metal, Mb is an oxide, a nitride, or a carbide of aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), magnesium (Mg), or titanium (Ti), or a combination including at least one of the foregoing, and Mc is an oxide of a metal of Groups 6 through 11.

Abstract: A supported membrane for fuel cell applications includes a first expanded polytetrafluoroethylene support and a second expanded polytetrafluoroethylene support. Both the first and second expanded polytetrafluoroethylene supports independently have pores with a diameter from about 0.1 to about 1 microns and a thickness from about 4 to 12 microns. The supported membrane also includes an ion conducting polymer adhering to the first expanded polytetrafluoroethylene support and the second expanded polytetrafluoroethylene support such that the membrane has a thickness from about 10 to 25 microns.

Abstract: To provide a polymer electrolyte membrane for polymer electrolyte fuel cells having high mechanical strength and excellent dimensional stability when it contains water even when it is made thin and the concentration of ionic groups is increased so as to reduce the electrical resistance, and a membrane/electrode assembly providing high output and having excellent durability.

Abstract: Shaped microporous articles are produced from polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and nucleating agents using thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) processes. The shaped microporous article is oriented in at least one direction at a stretch ratio of at least approximately 1.1 to 1.0. The shaped article may also comprise a diluent, glyceryl triacetate. The shaped microporous article may also have the micropores filled with a sufficient quantity of ion conducting electrolyte to allow the membrane to function as an ion conductive membrane. The method of making a microporous article comprises the steps of melt blending polyvinylidene fluoride, nucleating agent and glyceryl triacetate; forming a shaped article of the mixture; cooling the shaped article to cause crystallization of the polyvinylidene fluoride and phase separation of the polyvinylidene fluoride and glyceryl triacetate; and stretching the shaped article in at least one direction at a stretch ratio of at least approximately 1.1 to 1.0.

Abstract: A solid polymer electrolyte membrane having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, where the solid polymer electrolyte membrane has a failure force greater than about 115 grams and comprises a composite membrane consisting essentially of (a) at least one expanded PTFE membrane having a porous microstructure of polymeric fibrils, and (b) at least one ion exchange material impregnated throughout the porous microstructure of the expanded PTFE membrane so as to render an interior volume of the expanded PTFE membrane substantially occlusive; (c) at least one substantially occlusive, electronically insulating first composite layer interposed between the expanded PTFE membrane and the first surface, the first composite layer comprising a plurality of first carbon particles supporting a catalyst comprising platinum and an ion exchange material.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell includes a polymer matrix comprising a cross-linked curable oligomer with nano-sized proton conductive polymer particles in the polymer matrix. The curable oligomer may include unsaturated functional groups at each end of a chain, and may further include 3 to 14 ethylene oxides. The proton conductive polymer nano particles may include fluorine-based proton conductive polymer nano particles, non-fluorine-based proton conductive polymer nano particles, hydrocarbon-based proton conductive polymer nano particles, and combinations.