Abstract: Present invention relates to a process for producing a catalytic layer for a fuel cell electrode, which process is characterized in that first step at least two carbons or mixtures of carbons are separately mixed with binder, subsequently in a second step these separate carbon/binder mixtures are intimately mixed together and after that in a third step the mixture obtained is formed into a catalytic layer of the desired dimensions.

Abstract: Present invention relates to a method of operation of a fuel cell, in which method the fuel cell is operated so that a stoechiometric excess amount of fuel is present at the anode relative to the amount of oxidant in the cathode chamber(s), in which method the anode is connected with the cathode within the fuel cell through one or more electrical conductors, the arithmetic product of the total electrical resistance between the anode and the cathode electrically conductive connected therewith within the fuel cell in .OMEGA. and the active area of the cathode in m.sup.2 lying between 10.sup.-4 and 10 .OMEGA.m.sup.2, and in which method subsequently the external current drain is stopped and also the oxidant supply at least virtually is stopped, one or more electrically conductive connections being maintained between the anode and the cathode within the fuel cell after the external current drain from this fuel cell having been stopped and also the anode chamber(s) being left filled with fuel.

Abstract: Present invention relates to a fuel cell consisting of at least an anode and a cathode, in which fuel cell the anode is connected with the cathode within this fuel cell through one or more electrical conductors, and the arithmetic product of the total electrical resistance between the anode and the cathode electrically conductive conductor(s) therewith within the fuel cell in .OMEGA. and the active area of the cathode in m.sup.2 lies between 10.sup.-4 and 10 .OMEGA.m.sup.2.

Abstract: The invention relates to a porous electrode at least containing a porous catalytic layer, which layer at least contains 3-30 parts by weight of mouldable polymeric binder, 50-94 parts by weight of carbon particles and 3-47 parts by weight of hard hydrophobic polymer particles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell electrode provided with a catalytic layer containing a noble metal on carbon with a relatively low specific surface and a carbon with a relatively high specific surface, of which electrode the catalytic layer contains noble metal on carbon with a specific surface lower than 100 m.sup.2 g.sup.-1 and carbon with a specific surface higher than 150 m.sup.2 g.sup.-1 on which there is at most an equally large percentage by weight of noble metal as on the carbon having a relatively low specific surface.The invention also relates to a process for preparing such a fuel cell electrode.

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying or draining a fluid to or from a marginal portion of a flat fuel cell electrode, consisting of a supply or drainage device for the fluid, which is connected with a spacious collecting channel (5) which runs substantially parallel to the marginal portion of the fuel cell electrode and which is connected with a number of substantially equidistantly spaced points of this marginal portion via micro-channels (4), these micro-channels having substantially identical dimensions and a width b that is smaller than their depth d. Preferably b/d is at most 0.9, and H/h is larger than 3, H and h being the hydraulic diameters of, respectively, the collecting channel (5) and the micro-channels (4).

Abstract: The invention relates to a porous electrode comprising at least a porous catalytic layer containing a catalytically active noble-metal, carbon and a polymeric binder and a porous metallic collector is situated on the electrolyte-side of this layer.According to the invention the catalytic layer has a thickness of less than 80 .mu.m and are the noble-metal particles in the layer situated on the surface and/or in the pores of part of the carbon particles, while the rest of the carbon particles contains no noble-metal particles.The invention meets the need of an electrode of the type described with a much lower noble-metal content, while the excellent characteristics as regards efficiency, power density and simplicity of manufacture are retained.

Abstract: An improved method for operating a fuel cell employing porous gas diffusion electrodes. The method provides for the regeneration of the electrode by keeping the oxidizing or reducing gas temporarily at a reduced concentration level while substantially maintaining the pressure on the gas in situ of the electrode and while continuing power offtake at least for the period during which the concentration level is reduced.

Abstract: An improved porous electrode for use in electrochemical cells, particularly for use in fuel cells. The electrode is of the kind comprising a porous layer containing carbon and a non-polar resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene, and an electrically conducting screen acting as a collector. To prevent early collector deterioration the collector material is covered with an electrically conductive protective layer, which consists either of an electrically conductive resin or of a non-conductive resin in which conductive particles, such as graphite particles, have been incorporated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of an electrochemical cell or battery, consisting of a stack of plate-shaped elements, each of which consists of a sheet or plate of electrode material which is mounted in a frame made of electrically insulating fibrous-web material impregnated with a non-polymerized thermosetting synthetic material, which elements in a first compression molding stage are heated under pressure for a relatively short primary time at a relatively low primary temperature under which conditions the thermosetting synthetic material flows well but polymerizes only to a minor degree, thereafter the elements are combined with other battery components are stacked into an electrochemical cell package which in a second compression molding stage is formed into a coherent block by compression for a relatively long secondary time and at a relatively high secondary temperature to set the thermosetting synthetic material.

Abstract: Fuel-cell battery unit containing a number of fuel-cell blocks. The fuel-cell blocks are attached to a beam having an I-shaped cross-section, on both sides against the thin intermediate section thereof. Primary ducts for supplying air, fuel and electrolyte are provided either in the wide top and bottom parts of the beam, or separately alongside the beam. From these primary ducts secondary tubes are provided to supply or discharge air, fuel and electrolyte to or from the fuel-cell blocks.A number of such units can be stacked to form a battery or battery section.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrochemical zinc-oxygen cell comprising an oxygen electrode containing a porous electrically conductive layer, a zinc electrode, a diffusion of zincate restricting membrane, preferably an ionexchanging membrane, which is joined directly to the oxygen electrode between the porous layer of this electrode and the zinc electrode, and an electrolyte space between the membrane and the zinc electrode containing a liquid basic electrolyte. By preference the membrane is only slightly permeable for the electrolyte.With this cell no poisoning of the electrochemically active material occurs.