Abstract: A method of making an alkaline membrane fuel cell assembly is disclosed. The method may include: depositing a first catalyst layer on a first gas diffusion layer to form a first gas diffusion electrode; depositing a second catalyst layer one a second gas diffusion layer to form a second gas diffusion electrode; depositing a thin membrane on at least one of: the first catalyst layer and the second catalyst layer; joining together the first and second gas diffusion electrodes to form the alkaline fuel cell assembly such that the thin membrane is located between the first and second catalyst layers; and sealing the first and second gas diffusion layers, the first and second catalyst layers and the thin membrane from all sides.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for fabricating an n-cell supercapacitor stack, including a step of providing at least n+1 identical, or substantially identical, electrically inert conductive sheets having a defined perimeter, n identical, or substantially identical, ion-permeable insulating sheets having a defined perimeter, n identical, or substantially identical, first electrodes having a defined perimeter, n identical, or substantially identical, second electrodes having a defined perimeter, and at least n matching dielectric frames having an outer perimeter, which is larger than the perimeter of the conductive sheet and the perimeter of the insulating sheet; a step of assembling the supercapacitor stack, a step of disposing an additional conductive sheet on top of the nth second electrode; and a step of attaching adjacent units onto one another, such that at least one of the frames within each unit is attached to at least one of the frames within each respective unit adjacent thereto.

Abstract: A membrane for fuel cells, such as PEM and/or AEM fuel cells and/or electrolyzers is disclosed. Such a membrane (e.g., an anion conducting membrane) may include: crosslinked ionomer comprising two types of functional groups: a first type of functional groups forming crosslinking bonds between two ionomer chains; and a second type of functional groups comprising ion conducting functional groups. In some embodiments, the crosslinking bonds may not include the ion conducting functional groups. A catalyst coated membrane (CCM) is also disclosed. In such case the membrane may further include at least one catalyst layer attached to at least one side of the membrane to form the catalyst coated membrane (CCM). The at least one catalyst layer may include catalyst nanoparticles and crosslinked ionomer of the catalyst layer comprising two types of functional groups.

Abstract: Some aspects of the invention may be directed to a catalyst layer for anodes of Alkaline Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (AEMFC). Such catalyst layer may include catalyst nanoparticles and an ionomer. Each catalyst nanoparticle may include one or more nanoparticles of catalytically active metal supported on at least one nanoparticle of crystalline RuO2. The diameter of the at least one nanoparticle of the crystalline RuO2 may be about order of magnitude larger than the diameter of the one or more nanoparticles of catalytically active metal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method of operating alkaline exchange membrane fuel cells in a bipolar configuration. The system (400) may include a first fuel cell (300A) and a second fuel cell (300B) adjacent to the first fuel cell. Each of the first and second fuel cells may include: a cathode configured to generate hydroxide ions from water, oxygen and electrons, an anode configured to generate water and electrons from the hydroxide ions and hydrogen received from a hydrogen source, and an alkaline exchange membrane configured to transfer the hydroxide ions from the cathode to the anode, and to transfer water from a vicinity of the anode to a vicinity of the cathode. The first fuel cell (300A) and a second fuel cell (300B) are connected by a porous bipolar plate (430A) positioned inbetween.

Abstract: In an AMFC, in the formation of a CCM, the anode catalyst layer is selectively cross-linked while the cathode catalyst layer is not cross-linked. This has been found to provide structural stabilization of the CCM without loss of initial power value for a CCM without cross-linking.

Abstract: An alkaline membrane fuel cell including at least one of i) a catalyst coated OH— ion conducting membrane having a catalyst layer and an OH— ion conducting membrane, and ii) a catalyst coated carbonate ion conducting membrane having a catalyst layer and a carbonate ion conducting membrane, respectively, wherein the at least one catalyst layer is chemically bonded to a surface of the at least one membrane, wherein the chemical bonding is established by crosslinking of polymer constituents across an interface between the at least one catalyst layer and the at least one membrane.

Abstract: In an AMFC, in the formation of a CCM, the anode catalyst layer is selectively cross-linked while the cathode catalyst layer is not cross-linked. This has been found to provide structural stabilization of the CCM without loss of initial power value for a CCM without cross-linking.

Abstract: A catalyst coated membrane (CCM) for an alkaline exchange membrane fuel cell may include: a membrane including at least one of: a polymer or a copolymer having a first functional chemical group; an anode catalyst layer coated on one side of the membrane including: anode catalyst nano-particles and a polymer or a copolymer having a second functional chemical group; and a cathode catalyst layer coated on a side of the membrane opposite the anode catalyst layer, including: cathode catalyst nano-particles and a polymer or a copolymer having a third functional chemical group, wherein the first functional chemical group, the second functional chemical group and the third functional chemical group are all crosslinked with the same crosslinking chemical group.