Abstract: A fuel cell includes plural gas flow channels, a switching device, and a variable gas flow channel with the function of switching the connection between one gas flow channel and another gas flow channel from series to parallel or from parallel to series.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes an anode, a cathode, and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode. The membrane electrode assembly has a substantially rectangular shape as a whole. Extensions extend outwardly from four corners of the membrane electrode assembly. Each of the extensions has an inclined end to have a substantially triangle shape. The membrane electrode assembly has a substantially rectangular power generation area.

Abstract: In starting power generation under low temperature conditions, an antifreeze liquid being coolant of a cooling system in a fuel cell stack is once recovered in a tank to reduce heat capacity of the fuel cell stack, and thereafter the power generation is started. Heat of reaction caused by the power generation restores the temperature to temperature under normal operation, and then the antifreeze liquid is again filled to drive the cooling system, so as to make it function as a cooler.

Abstract: A modular fuel cell cassette for use in assembling a fuel cell stack comprising a metal separator plate and a metal cell-mounting plate joined at their edges to form a hollow cassette. A fuel cell subassembly is attached to the mounting plate and extends through an opening in the mounting plate. The plates include openings to form chimney manifolds for supply and exhaust of fuel gas to the anode and air to the cathode. A conductive interconnect element extends from the fuel cell subassembly to make contact with the next cassette in a stack. The anode openings in the mounting plate and separator plate are separated by spacer rings such that the cassette is incompressible. A fuel cell stack comprises a plurality of cassettes, the mounting plate of one cassette being attached to, and insulated from, the separator plate of the next-adjacent cassette by a dielectric seal surrounding the interconnect.

Abstract: The present invention provides membrane cassettes and stacks thereof which are suitable for a use in a variety of electrochemical and ion exchange applications. The present invention also provides methods of manufacturing the membrane cassettes and stacks of the invention. In certain preferred embodiments, the invention provides cassettes and stacks which are suitable for use in fuel cell applications.

Abstract: An activated electrode for a non-aqueous electrochemical cell is disclosed with a precursor of a lithium metal oxide with the formula xLi2MnO3.(1?x)LiMn2?yMyO4 for 0<x<1 and 0?y<1 in which the Li2MnO3 and LiMn2?yMyO4 components have layered and spinel-type structures, respectively, and in which M is one or more metal cations. The electrode is activated by removing lithia, or lithium and lithia, from the precursor. A cell and battery are also disclosed incorporating the disclosed positive electrode.

Abstract: A positive electrode for a lithium-sulfur battery and a lithium-sulfur battery including the same have a positive electrode that includes a positive active material, a conductor, an organic binder, and an additive. The positive active material includes at least one selected from elemental sulfur, a sulfur-based compound, or a mixture thereof. The additive includes a polymer having at least one amino nitrogen group in main chains or side chains.

Abstract: A fuel cell powered by direct fuel, for example a direct methanol fuel cell, includes a polymer electrolyte membrane which includes a semi-crystalline polymer. Preferred semi-crystalline polymers include first repeat units comprising sulphonated aromatic group containing moieties linked by —SO2— and/or —CO— and/or -Q-groups, where Q is O or S and second repeat units which include aromatic group containing moieties linked by —CO— and/or Q groups.

Abstract: The present invention provides a negative electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, including carbonaceous particles and a Si phase dispersed in the carbonaceous particles, wherein a half width of a diffraction peak of (220) plane in powder X-ray diffraction is 1.5° or more and 8° or less, and an average size of the Si phase is less than 100 nm.

Abstract: An mat system with each mat having sloping lips which overlap with an adjacent mat's sloping lips and are secured by interlocking joints in the mats' lips and/or by captive locking pins to form an easily assembled and interconnected flat surface. In use, opposing ledges forms a slot within holes in the top overlapping lips to receive a captive locking pin. The pin is captive by mid body prongs which fix underneath the ledges in a mat's upper lip's holes, and the pin locks and unlocks with rotary turning of the pin resulting in the pin's keeper feet fixing underneath the similar ledges in the holes of the lower lip of an adjacent mat.

Abstract: A battery includes a cathode having an oxide containing one or more metals and pentavalent bismuth, an anode including lithium, a separator between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte. The metal(s) can be an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, and/or a main group metal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel cell system with a control unit (3) for controlling and/or regulating at least one fuel cell unit (1), whereby the fuel cell unit (1) includes at least one membrane monitored by the control unit (3), and an electrical load (4) is provided, in particular an electric drive motor and/or at least one load on the vehicle electrical system, whereby the moistening of the fuel cell membrane is improved. This is achieved according to the present invention by the fact that the control unit (3) includes at least one additional electrical load (5, 7) for an additional power output from the fuel cell unit (1) which is dependent at least on the moistening of the membrane.

Abstract: The invention provides a fuel cartridge for supplying methanol aqueous solution to a direct methanol fuel cell system, comprising a memory which stores at least a concentration of the methanol aqueous solution.

Abstract: A fuel cell diffusion layer for delivering a fuel mixture to the anode face of a catalyzed membrane and for resisting flow of carbon dioxide produced in the anodic reaction back into the associated fuel chamber. The diffusion layer contains either conduits or channels on one aspect thereof to redirect the carbon dioxide generated at the anode in the fuel cell reaction away from the catalyzed membrane and away from the fuel chamber. This avoids the volume replacement by carbon dioxide of fuel mixture in the anode chamber and enhances the concentration of methanol that can be used in the fuel mixture. It also serves to allow only that fuel that is consumed in the reaction to enter the space between the anode face of the catalyzed membrane and the diffusion layer adjacent thereto. The diffusion layer further includes perforations to increase the ability to deliver fuel to the anode aspect of the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A battery pack including a plastic protective layer bonded to the surface of a cell by spreading over the surface of the cell a polyurethane emulsion having a reaction product obtained by emulsifying and dispersing an intermediate product produced from a compound A made of an organic diisocyanate, a compound B1 made of a polyol mixture having not smaller than at least 2.05 average functional groups and a compound B2 having one hydrophilic center and at least two active hydrogen groups in water.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell comprising a pair of separators sandwiching outsides of a membrane electrode assembly composed of a pair of electrodes provided on both sides of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an outer seal member sandwiched by a pair of separators at a position surrounding an outer periphery of the membrane electrode assembly, an inner seal member sandwiched by one of the pair of separators and an outer periphery of the electrolyte membrane, and a backing member opposing to the inner seal member interposing the electrolyte membrane, wherein steps are formed at contact surfaces of the inner seal member and the outer seal member on one of the pair of separators.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a laminated, plate-shaped membrane electrode assembly and first and second separator plates sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly. The membrane electrode assembly includes a polymer electrolyte membrane; first and second electrode layers sandwiching the polymer electrolyte membrane; and first and second gas-diffusion layers disposed on an outer side of the electrode layers, respectively. The first and second gas-diffusion layers are made of an air-permeable metallic material. An arithmetic average roughness Ra of a surface of the air-permeable metallic material on the side contacting one of the electrode layers is in a range of 0.1 ?m?Ra?1.0 ?m.

Abstract: A negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery which is obtained by sintering under a non-oxidizing atmosphere, in the form of a layer on a surface of a metal foil current collector, an anode mix containing a binder and particles of active material containing silicon and/or a silicon alloy; the negative electrode being characterized in that the metal foil current corrector has projections and recesses on its surface, the projection is shaped to have a recurved side face portion that curves more outwardly as it extends closer to a distal end of the projection, and the binder penetrates into spaces defined by the recurved side face portions.

Abstract: An anode subassembly is provided for use in an implantable electrochemical cell wherein the anode subassembly includes an anode current collector designed to eliminate perforation edges in the final, outermost turn of a coiled electrode assembly. The anode current collector may be of a reduced size, discontinuous, or formed from alternating perforated and solid areas. The anode subassembly may further include reinforcing elements to support a thin anode layer in the outermost coil of a coiled, anode-limited cell. Reinforcing elements may take the form of a spacer, extensions extending from a reduced-size anode current collector, or strips of alkali metal.

Abstract: A solid electrolytic fuel cell having an oxygen electrode layer on one surface of a solid electrolytic layer, having a fuel electrode layer on the other surface thereof, and having a reaction-preventing layer comprising a sintered body of an oxide between the upper surface of the solid electrolytic layer and the oxygen electrode layer for preventing elements from diffusing from the oxygen electrode layer into the solid electrolytic layer, wherein the oxygen electrode layer has a two-layer structure including an inner layer on the side of the reaction-preventing layer and a surface layer on the inner layer; the surface layer of the oxygen electrode layer comprises a sintered body of a perovskite composite oxide; and the inner layer of the oxygen electrode layer comprises a sintered body of a mixture of particles of an oxide for preventing the diffusion of elements and particles of the peroviskite composite oxide, and is formed more densely than said surface layer.