Abstract: By using a winding type electrode plate assembly resistant to displacement by wind-up and buckling, a lithium ion secondary battery, capable of suppressing deterioration in cycle and storage characteristic caused by expansion and shrinkage of the electrode plate due to charge/discharge cycles or by generation of gas during storage at high temperatures or the like, is accomplished. An electrode plate A comprising a binder mainly composed of a polymer material “a” and an electrode plate B, having the opposite polarity to the electrode plate A, with a porous polymer layer mainly composed of the polymer material “a” or a copolymer of the polymer material “a” formed thereon, are wound up in flat form to give a flat electrode plate assembly, which is soaked in a non-aqueous electrolyte and then heated and cooled, with the soaked state maintained, while pressure is applied in the direction of the thickness of the flat electrode plate assembly, to integrate the electrode plate assembly.

Abstract: A polymer solid electrolyte type fuel cell includes an internal electrode in an ion exchange membrane made of a proton conductor, a voltage application device provided between the internal electrode and one of a fuel electrode and an oxidizer electrode. Applying voltage to the internal electrode makes it possible to control fuel and/or oxidizer movements in the electrolyte.

Abstract: The battery separator for a lithium battery is made from a nonwoven flat sheet material having high temperature melt integrity, a microporous membrane having low temperature shutdown properties, and an adhesive bonding the nonwoven flat sheet to the microporous membrane and being adapted for swelling when contacted by an electrolyte.

Abstract: A microwave susceptible insulated packaging material includes a thermal insulating layer, which may be a fiberfill batt. The insulating layer is laminated to at least one layer of a co-extruded film which has been coated on one surface with a microwave susceptible material, such as aluminum or aluminum coated with a food-safe contacting polymer sealant. The packaging material can be used to form a container, such as a pouch, or as a label or as a lining for a container. The packaging material may be coated also with a printable coating material.

Abstract: The floor wall covering made from ceramics, wood, plastic, natural or artificial stone, has at least one inlay illuminated with optical waveguides. A tile or panel inlay is illuminated by light from the optical waveguide. At least one recess (12) is provided in the floor or wall covering in which a tile or panel inlay is inserted. The tile or panel inlay is made of transparent material or made of a diffuse reflecting fiber or made of diffused reflecting fiber optical elements and in the optical waiveguide directs light from a remote source to the inlay.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell composed of a plurality of unit cells stacked one after another, which comprises: a water electrolysis portion and a fuel cell portion disposed in the single plane of each unit cell; an oxygen electrode disposed on one side of a proton exchange membrane and a hydrogen electrode disposed on the other side in the stacking direction of the unit cells; a diffusion layer disposed on both sides of each electrode for allowing generated electrons to pass through; interconnectors disposed outside the diffusion layers and having a gas passage for feeding the fuel cell portion with a gas; and a water passage disposed in the interconnector on the side of the oxygen electrode for feeding the water electrolysis portion with water. A fuel cell system and a production process of thereof are also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved system for more uniformly distributing gaseous fuel over the anode surface of a fuel cell, comprising an interconnect subassembly for electrically connecting anodes and cathodes of adjacent fuel cells in a fuel cell stack. The subassembly includes a perforated plate disposed adjacent the anode surface. The plate may be parallel to or inclined to the anode surface and forms a first wall of a fuel plenum for uniformly distributing fuel via the perforations over the entire surface of the anode. The second wall of the plenum is a plate separating the fuel flow from air flowing across the cathode. Electrical continuity across the interconnect subassembly may be provided, for example, by non-planar upsets such as bumps and dimples in the two plenum plate components, or by metallic foam or filaments disposed between the plates and the electrodes.

Abstract: This invention relates to an anode for a secondary battery capable of occluding and releasing lithium ions, the anode having a multi-layer structure comprising: a first layer containing carbon as a main component; and a second layer as a main component containing a lithium-occluding material film, the film capable of occluding lithium more than a theoretical lithium-occlusion capacity for carbon, as well as a secondary battery using the anode. This invention can provide a secondary battery with a substantially improved battery capacity in a range where the battery is actually used, while having a higher charge-discharge efficiency and good cycle properties.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and process using an organic Rankine cycle to produce shaft work to operate a fuel cell system component such as an air compressor. The air compressor delivers compressed air to a fuel cell stack. The steps of the Rankine cycle include pumping a liquid working fluid to an elevated pressure, heating the fluid to a gas, expanding the high temperature and high-pressure gas through an expander to produce shaft work used to drive a fuel cell system component such as an air compressor, and then removing energy from the cooling fluid to change the gas back to a liquid, and repeating the cycle. The liquid fluid can be heated by an external boiler, or one of the components of the fuel cell system such as the combustor and/or the fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A plurality of secondary batteries are connected either one of in series or in parallel with metal plates, and are joined by connection plates to form a unit with spacing provided between the secondary batteries disposed in parallel. Also, when arranging an odd number of the secondary batteries, an arrangement is also possible where a connection plate at an end point of an even number of the secondary batteries is joined to the remaining battery so that the secondary batteries can be arranged in a different shape. The spacing improves the heat radiation capability of the secondary batteries, and a pressing force is prevented from being applied to the secondary batteries by forming supporting struts in the spacing.

Abstract: A separator for a fuel cell, having a film on the surface, wherein the film has a water-holdability of 0.3 to 5.0 g per g of the film, or the film has a pore volume of 0.5 to 0.9 cc per cc of the film, and a thickness of 0.5 to 300 ?m. The fuel cell separator is superior in hydrophilicity and water-holding property, and has at the same time low electrical resistance.

Abstract: A fuel cell which provides improved performance during a cold start. Several embodiments are provided to enable the controlled introduction of fuel into the cathode of the fuel cell such that oxidation occurs, heat is released and the temperature of the fuel cell is raised. Such fuel may be introduced into the cathode directly or may be introduced into the anode and allowed to crossover an electrolytic membrane. Alternatively, the fuel may be directed through a special conduit which allows oxidation of some of the fuel as it flows through.

Abstract: A solid polymer fuel cell which had a plurality of unit cells stacked one after another includes an electrode of an anion exchange membrane and an electrode of a cation exchange membrane disposed adjacent but not in contact with each other, gas diffusion layers commonly disposed on both sides of these electrodes for allowing electrons generated on the catalysts to pass, and interconnectors which are disposed outside the gas diffusion layers and serve as a current carrier having a gas channel.

Abstract: A nonaqueous secondary electrolytic battery comprising an electricity-generating element formed by spirally winding a laminate of a positive electrode plate, a separating material and a negative electrode plate, and an electrolytic solution with which the separating material, if it is a separator, is impregnated. The electricity-generating element is sealed in a battery case formed by a resin-laminated sheet comprising a metal layer as a barrier layer. Only a pair of lead terminals are drawn to the exterior of the battery case. The resin sheet comprises an oriented resin layer laminated in both surfaces of the metal layer. The inner heat-fused layers are opposed and heat-fused to each other. A molten and solidified resin mass is formed protruding from the inner end of the welded portion toward the inner space of the battery by 0.1 mm or more. Alternatively, the welded portion is formed thinner at the outer end thereof than at the inner end thereof.

Abstract: On the basis of the temperature detected by a temperature detecting sensor, a control section determines whether the fuel processor in a warm up state or a stationary running state. In the machine-warming state, adjusting/supplying unit controls the S/C ratio of the water/fuel mixed gas so as to be lower than that in a stationary running state of the fuel processor. The quantity of water supplied to a vaporizing section is decreased so that the heat quantity required to create the water/fuel mixed gas can be reduced. Thus, the heat quantity used to warm the vaporing section pan be increased, thereby permitting the time for warming the fuel processor to be shortened. Further, even when the water/fuel-mixed gas is reformed to create a reformed gas, excessive water vapor is not left in the reformed gas. Therefore, condensation of water vapor does not occur within the fuel processor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a synthetic air jet for a metal-air battery. A synthetic air jet can be housed within, incorporated into, or attached to a battery casing to generate a convective air flow for an air cathode of a metal-air cell contained within the casing. A means for activating the synthetic air jet controls the air flow through the battery casing. When the synthetic air jet is activated, the internal volume of the synthetic air jet changes. The expansion and contraction of the synthetic air jet creates an air flow through the battery, thus providing reactant air for the air cathode of the metal-air cell.

Abstract: A process for performing energy conversion which comprises the steps of converting a fuel precursor containing hydrogen to produce substantial amounts of engine-fuel containing free hydrogen and utilizing substantial amounts of hydrogen in one or more devices selected from the group including a fuel cell, heat engine, and heat releasing combustor. Waste energy resources selected from the group including off-peak power, engine-cooling-system heat, exhaust-gas heat, and stopping energy, are utilized to produce engine-fuel from feedstocks selected from the group (of Equations 1-14) including fuel alcohols, phenols, ammonia, ammonium compounds, gasoline, diesel fuel, cyanoacetic acid, cyanocarbons, carbon, and water.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a membrane-electrode assembly, and fuel cells adopting a membrane-electrode assembly formed by the method, wherein the method includes: coating nano-sized catalytic metal particles on a proton exchange polymer membrane by sputtering a catalytic metal source; coating nano-sized carbon particles on the proton exchange polymer membrane by arc discharging or by sputtering a carbon source to form a nanophase catalyst layer; and bonding electrodes to the proton exchange polymer membrane having the nanophase catalyst layer. The nano-sized catalytic metal and nano-sized carbon particles can be coated on a proton exchanger polymer membrane to form a catalyst layer by simultaneously sputtering a catalyst metal source and a carbon source.

Abstract: A method of attaching a battery cell in an apparatus acted upon by centrifugal force avoids an extreme decline in discharge capacity of the battery cell when acted upon by the centrifugal force. The battery, of the type including a positive polarity material and a negative polarity material which are placed in opposition in a thickness direction of a battery case with an intervening separator disposed therebetween, and a liquid electrolyte packed inside the battery case, is mounted in the apparatus, oriented such that a negative polarity material side of the battery cell faces generally in a direction in which the centrifugal force acts on the apparatus, and an angle of inclination of a thickness direction of the battery cell is within a range of 0 to about 60 degrees relative to the direction of the centrifugal force.

Abstract: A fuel cell separator composition containing an electrically conductive carbonaceous powder and a binder that is a mixture of a thermoset resin with a polyoxazine compound having a plurality of oxazine rings can be used to efficiently mass-produce high-modulus fuel cell separators of excellent dimensional stability and gas impermeability. By employing such fuel cell separators as some or all of the separators in a solid polymer fuel cell, there can be obtained solid polymer fuel cells which are not subject to cracking or breakage during assembly, have good gas sealing properties, and are endowed with excellent vibration and impact resistance.