Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing of metal electrodes for electrolytic applications by means of a continuous deposition of a layer of noble metals upon metal substrates by a physical vapour deposition technique.

Abstract: A gas diffusion electrode comprising an electrically conductive web, a non-catalyzed gas diffusion layer comprising at least one electroconductive filler and at least one binder, and a noble metal coating obtained by subjecting an electrically conductive web to a first ion beam having an energy not higher than 500 eV, then to a second beam having an energy of at least 500 eV, containing the ions of at least one noble metal.

Abstract: A gas diffusion electrode comprising an electrically conductive web, a non-catalyzed gas diffusion layer comprising at least one electroconductive filler and at least one binder, and a noble metal coating obtained by subjecting an electrically conductive web to a first ion beam having an energy not higher than 500 eV, then to a second beam having an energy of at least 500 eV, containing the ions of at least one noble metal.

Abstract: A method for forming a noble metal coating on a gas diffusion medium substantially free of ionomeric components comprising subjecting an electrically conductive web to a first ion beam having an energy not higher than 500 eV, then to a second beam having an energy of at least 500 eV, containing the ions of at least one noble metal and electrodes provided by the method.

Abstract: The method for reusing current collectors/distributors is employed in an electrochemical generator (1, 20) comprising a multiplicity of elementary cells (2, 21) assembled in a filter-press configuration and comprising an array of conductive sheets (3) and of current collectors/distributors (7, 22). The method of the invention provides dissembling the electrochemical generator (1) once the presence of a damaged elementary cell (2, 21) is detected. Subsequently, the method of the invention provides repairing/replacing the damaged cell for later reassembling the electrochemical generator (1, 20) reusing the original current collectors/distributors (7, 22). to achieve this, while reassembling the electrochemical generator (1, 20), a mechanical means for adapting (8, 12, 13, 14, 15) is inserted between each conducting sheet (3) and the respective current collector/distributor (7, 21).

Abstract: The invention describes a method and the relevant devices for permitting an operation stable with time of a stack of membrane fuel cells fed with air and a gas containing hydrogen and at least 100 ppm of carbon monoxide, characterised in that it provides for an oxidising condition at the anodes of said cells in a self-adjusting continuous way or sequentially discontinuous way. Different embodiments of the invention are illustrated wherein the oxidising condition is obtained by adding to the gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide, oxygen produced in an electrolysis cell integrated to the fuel cell stack, or by flowing air through porous areas obtained in the bipolar plates or by resorting to high gas diffusion rate membranes, wherein the air flow rate is regulated in both cases by adjusting the pressure differential existing between air and the gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Abstract: The invention is relative to a membrane-electrode assembly for fuel cells, comprising a state of the art ion-exchange polymeric membrane and state of the art gas diffusion electrodes, whose electrochemical properties are modified through the addition of a hydrophilic component localized in correspondence to one or both the electrodic interfaces and/or one or both the external surfaces of the membrane. The modified membrane-electrode assembly is characterized by high protonic conductivity and high efficiency even in the presence of small quantities of carbon monoxide, or of other contaminants contained in the fuel, even at temperatures as low as 100° C., being also suitable for medium temperature (100–160° C.) operation at relative humidity level lower than saturation.

Abstract: A method for forming a noble metal coating on a gas diffusion medium substantially free of ionomeric components comprising subjecting an electrically conductive web to a first ion beam having an energy not higher than 500 eV, then to a second beam having an energy of at least 500 eV, containing the ions of at least one noble metal and electrodes provided by the method.

Abstract: The method for reusing current collectors/distributors is employed in an electrochemical generator (1, 20) comprising a multiplicity of elementary cells (2, 21) assembled in a filter-press configuration and comprising an array of conductive sheets (3) and of current collectors/distributors (7, 22). The method of the invention provides dissembling the electrochemical generator (1) once the presence of a damaged elementary cell (2, 21) is detected. Subsequently, the method of the invention provides repairing/replacing the damaged cell for later reassembling the electrochemical generator (1, 20) reusing the original current collectors/distributors (7, 22). to achieve this, while reassembling the electrochemical generator (1, 20), a mechanical means for adapting (8, 12, 13, 14, 15) is inserted between each conducting sheet (3) and the respective current collector/distributor (7, 21).

Abstract: The invention describes a method and the relevant devices for permitting an operation stable with time of a stack of membrane fuel cells fed with air and a gas containing hydrogen and at least 100 ppm of carbon monoxide, characterised in that it provides for an oxidising condition at the anodes of said cells in a self-adjusting continuous way or sequentially discontinuous way. Different embodiments of the invention are illustrated wherein the oxidising condition is obtained by adding to the gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide, oxygen produced in an electrolysis cell integrated to the fuel cell stack, or by flowing air through porous areas obtained in the bipolar plates or by resorting to high gas diffusion rate membranes, wherein the air flow rate is regulated in both cases by adjusting the pressure differential existing between air and the gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Abstract: The present invention refers to an electrochemical cell or stack of cells comprising two end-plates (7), bipolar plates (1) made of metal or metal alloy, gas permeable metal distributors (2), metal current collectors(3), gasket frames (4) provided with channels for feeding the gaseous reactants and discharging the excess reactants and condensates, a couple of gas diffusion electrodes, (5), an ion-exchange membrane (6), wherein said current conductors provide for a highly distributed segmented contact area on the electrode surface without isolated peaks and have an extremely smooth surface without asperities and at the same time porous and permeable to the gas flow.

Abstract: The present invention describes an improved electrode suitable for application in solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, comprising a thin, porous, planar, conductive substrate having one side coated with a pre-layer consisting of conductive carbon having a low surface area mixed to a first hydrophobic agent, to which is applied a catalytic layer consisting of platinum supported on conductive carbon with a high surface area, mixed to a second hydrophobic agent. The hydrophobic degree of the applied layers are suitably adjusted to obtain the best exploitation of the catalyst and to improve the water balance of the process.