Abstract: Provided is an ink jet recording method that enables recording of an image with a wide expressible color gamut and high fluorescence intensity. The ink jet recording method comprises a step of recording an image by applying first and second inks to a recording medium by using an ink jet recording apparatus, including a recording head having ejection orifices configured to eject the first and second inks, respectively, such that an area where the first ink is applied and an area where the second ink is applied at least partially overlap each other. The first ink contains an alkaline buffer and a pigment particle dispersed by an effect of an anionic group, the second ink contains a fluorescent particle dispersed by an effect of an anionic group, and a density ?1 (g/cm3) of the pigment particle is more than a density ?2 (g/cm3) of the fluorescent particle.

Abstract: A method of forming an image on a recording medium using an ink jet recording apparatus. The ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head in which a plurality of recording element substrates is arranged to form joint portions and a plurality of wipers is arranged to form wiper overlapping portions. The method includes ejecting a first ink from a first ejection orifice array, ejecting a second ink from a second ejection orifice array, and the plurality of recording element substrates with the plurality of wipers. The first ejection orifice array is wiped and then the second ejection orifice array is wiped. At least a part of the wiper overlapping portion wipes the joint portion. A dynamic surface tension (?D1) of the first ink is equal to or more than a static surface tension (?S2) of the second ink.

Abstract: The ink jet recording method is an ink jet recording method of recording an image on a recording medium using an ink jet recording apparatus including: a recording head in which a plurality of recording element substrates are arranged to form joint portions; and a cleaning unit including a plurality of wipers arranged to form wiper overlapping portions and wiping the joint portion by at least a part of the wiper overlapping portion. The cleaning unit wipes an ejection orifice surface on which the ejection orifice arrays are formed in order of the first ejection orifice array ejecting a first ink and the second ejection orifice array ejecting a second ink, and a dynamic surface tension (?D1) of the first ink is equal to or more than a static surface tension (?S2) of the second ink.

Abstract: A fuel cell including an electrolyte film, a catalyst layer, two diffusion layers, a fuel supply layer, an oxygen supply layer, a water-absorbing layer, and a collector. The fuel cell has an opening at least in a part of a side surface parallel to a proton conduction direction of the electrolyte film among side surfaces of the fuel cell. The water-absorbing layer is present between the oxygen supply layer and the collector. An end portion of the water-absorbing layer is present on one of a plane including the opening and an opposite side of the fuel cell with the plane including the opening being a reference. A fuel cell system having a fuel cell stack including the fuel cells. The fuel cell has a high water discharging ability and is capable of maintaining stable high generation efficiency and providing a high output even while being small-sized and light-weight.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention provide an ink-jet recording method including the step of applying an ink to a recording medium by discharging the ink from a recording head by action of thermal energy and the step of fixing the ink to the recording medium by heating the ink applied to the recording medium. The ink contains water, a self-dispersing pigment, and resin particles. The resin particles have a glass transition temperature of not less than 25° C., an average particle diameter of 70 nm or more and 220 nm or less, and an acid value of 25 mg KOH/g or more and 150 mg KOH/g or less.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink jet recording ink containing a self-dispersion pigment to a surface of which an anionic functional group represented by the following general formula (1) is bonded directly or through another atomic group, an ammonium salt of an organic carboxylic acid, water, and a water-soluble compound having a hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient of 0.26 or more as defined by the following equation (A), the ink having a surface tension of 34 mN/m or less, wherein M1 and M2 are, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom, alkali metal, ammonium or organic ammonium; Hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient=[(Water activity of a 20% aqueous solution)?(Molar fraction of water in the 20% aqueous solution)]/[1?(Molar fraction of water in the 20% aqueous solution)]??(A).

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a fuel cell catalyst layer which has a large specific surface area and high activity and which includes the steps of: forming a dendritic structural member including a catalyst precursor by a vapor phase method; providing a coating layer on a surface of the dendritic structural member; and subjecting the dendritic structural member having the coating layer provided thereon to a reduction treatment. The dendritic structural member including a catalyst precursor is a dendritic structural member including platinum oxide or a dendritic structural member containing a composite oxide of platinum oxide and an element except platinum.

Abstract: An inkjet recording ink having a surface tension of 34 mN/m or more is provided. The inkjet recording ink contains an anionic self-dispersion pigment having an anionic functional group, a salt, and a water-soluble compound having a hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity coefficient of 0.26 or more. The ink contains a larger amount of cesium ion than the amount of the anionic functional group. The hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity coefficient is defined by equation (A).

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention provide an ink-jet recording method including the step of applying an ink to a recording medium by discharging the ink from a recording head by action of thermal energy and the step of fixing the ink to the recording medium by heating the ink applied to the recording medium. The ink contains water, a self-dispersing pigment, and resin particles. The resin particles have a glass transition temperature of not less than 25° C., an average particle diameter of 70 nm or more and 220 nm or less, and an acid value of 25 mg KOH/g or more and 150 mg KOH/g or less.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous ink having a surface tension of 34 mN/m or less including a self-dispersion pigment and water. In the aqueous ink, the self-dispersion pigment has a plurality of pKa values that are 8.0 or less. Assuming that the lowest pKa value among the plurality of pKa values is pKa1 and the highest pKa value among the plurality of pKa values is pKa2, pKa1 and pKa2 satisfy Mathematical formula (1), and the pH value of the aqueous ink satisfies Mathematical formula (2).

Abstract: A conductance at an oxidizer flow path forming member is defined as C1, a conductance at an opening portion of the oxidizer flow path forming member at which an oxidizer flow rate regulating portion is arranged is defined as C2, the conductances have a relationship of C1>C2. Further, the fuel cell stack has at least one inner fuel cell unit having a value of C1/C2 which is larger than values of C1/C2 of fuel cell units located at both ends of the fuel cell stack.

Abstract: An ink jet image forming method, wherein an ink is applied to plain paper in a fixed amount of 0.5 to 6.0 pl, contains a self-dispersion pigment, an organic carboxylic acid salt, water and a water-soluble compound having a hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient of 0.26 or more, and has a surface tension of 34 mN/m or less, and when the total amount of inks applied to a fundamental matrix for forming an image is 5.0 pl/cm2 or less, and the duty of an ink of a color applied to the fundamental matrix is 80% duty or more, the application of the ink of a color to the fundamental matrix is conducted within a range of 1 to 200 msec and at plural timings within the above range, and the amount of the ink of a color applied at each timing is controlled to 0.7 pl/cm2 or less.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink jet recording ink containing a self-dispersion pigment to a surface of which an anionic functional group represented by the following general formula (1) is bonded directly or through another atomic group, an ammonium salt of an organic carboxylic acid, water, and a water-soluble compound having a hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient of 0.

Abstract: An inkjet recording ink having a surface tension of 34 mN/m or more is provided. The inkjet recording ink contains an anionic self-dispersion pigment having an anionic functional group, a salt, and a water-soluble compound having a hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity coefficient of 0.26 or more. The ink contains a larger amount of cesium ion than the amount of the anionic functional group. The hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity coefficient is defined by equation (A).

Abstract: The fuel cell according to the present invention includes a membrane electrode assembly, two diffusion layers, an oxygen supplying layer, a water-absorbing layer, and a current collector. An end portion of the water-absorbing layer is located on a plane including an opening portion or on the fuel cell-side with respect to the plane. A length from one end portion to the other end portion of a part of the oxygen supplying layer which contacts the water-absorbing layer in a cross section of the fuel cell taken along a surface which includes the water-absorbing layer and which is perpendicular to the plane is shorter than a length from one end portion to the other end portion of the water-absorbing layer including a part of the water-absorbing layer which contacts the oxygen supplying layer in the cross section.

Abstract: A catalyst electrode is constituted by a catalyst material and a porous carbon frame for carrying the catalyst material. The catalyst material has a structure comprising whiskers or a structure comprising flaky parts. The porous carbon frame has pores having a pore diameter of 0.5 ?m or more and 10 ?m or less in terms of a mode diameter and has a porosity, in the catalyst electrode, in a range of from 12% to 80%.

Abstract: Provided is a production method of a catalyst layer which is improved in catalyst activity and catalyst utilization efficiency. The method of producing a catalyst layer includes the steps of forming a first layer including a catalyst precursor on a substrate by a vapor phase process; forming cracks in the first layer; and reducing the first layer having the cracks formed therein.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a fuel cell catalyst layer which has a large specific surface area and high activity and which includes the steps of: forming a dendritic structural member including a catalyst precursor by a vapor phase method; providing a coating layer on a surface of the dendritic structural member; and subjecting the dendritic structural member having the coating layer provided thereon to a reduction treatment. The dendritic structural member including a catalyst precursor is a dendritic structural member including platinum oxide or a dendritic structural member containing a composite oxide of platinum oxide and an element except platinum.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack in which at least one of a plurality of fuel cell units constituting a fuel cell stack includes a water absorbing member with a surface exposed to the atmosphere in a portion where an oxidizer flow path forming member and a separator are in contact with each other, and an area of a surface exposed to the atmosphere of the water absorbing member of the fuel cell unit the temperature of which becomes relatively lower is larger than an area of a surface exposed to the atmosphere of the water absorbing member of the fuel cell unit the temperature of which becomes relatively higher.

Abstract: In a polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which a cathode diffusion layer, a cathode electrode catalyst layer, a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode catalyst layer, and an anode diffusion layer are laminated in this order, electron conductivity of the cathode electrode catalyst layer at a portion on the side of the cathode diffusion layer is higher than at a portion on the side of the polymer electrolyte membrane and electron conductivity of the cathode electrode catalyst layer at the portion on the side of the polymer electrolyte membrane is lower than at the portion on the side of the cathode diffusion layer, and furthermore, electron conductivity of the anode electrode catalyst layer at a portion on the side of the anode diffusion layer is higher than at a portion on the side of the polymer electrolyte membrane and electron conductivity of the anode electrode catalyst layer at the portion on the side of the polymer electrolyte membrane is lower than at the portion on the side of the anode diffusio