Abstract: A fuel cell system may include a first fuel cell provided on a first substrate; a second fuel cell provided on a second substrate, and having a power generation capacity higher than a power generation capacity of the first fuel cell; a first heater provided at the first fuel cell; a second heater provided at the second fuel cell; and a battery, wherein the first heater heats the first fuel cell by using power supplied from the battery, and wherein the second heater heats the second fuel cell by using power supplied from the first fuel cell.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell includes an Si support substrate having a through hole, an electrolyte film formed on the surface of an Si support substrate and containing a solid oxide having oxygen ion conductivity, a first electrode formed on a surface of the electrolyte film (surface on the side opposite to the Si support substrate), and a second electrode formed at least on a surface exposed from the through hole in a rear face of the electrolyte film. The electrolyte film includes a porous layer including the solid oxide and containing pores inside, a first dense layer formed on a surface of the porous layer (surface on the side opposite to the Si support substrate), and a second dense layer formed at the interface between a rear face of the porous layer and the Si support substrate.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell is disclosed herein. The fuel cell includes a silicon substrate, an electrolyte film laminated on the silicon substrate, and a gas flow path formed inside the silicon substrate. The electrolyte film is opposed to the gas flow path via an electrode film. A portion of a side wall of the gas flow path has a fillet shape, and the portion is close to the electrolyte film.

Abstract: A fuel cell disclosed herein may comprise: a substrate provided with a recess through which fuel gas passes; an electrolyte membrane covering an opening of the recess; an insulating film covering one surface of the electrolyte membrane and having a through hole reaching the electrolyte membrane; a first electrode in contact with the one surface of the electrolyte membrane in the through hole; a second electrode in contact with the other surface of the electrolyte membrane; and a heater disposed in the insulating film at a position adjacent to the through hole.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell includes an Si support substrate having a through hole, an electrolyte film formed on the surface of an Si support substrate and containing a solid oxide having oxygen ion conductivity, a first electrode formed on a surface of the electrolyte film (surface on the side opposite to the Si support substrate), and a second electrode formed at least on a surface exposed from the through hole in a rear face of the electrolyte film. The electrolyte film includes a porous layer including the solid oxide and containing pores inside, a first dense layer formed on a surface of the porous layer (surface on the side opposite to the Si support substrate), and a second dense layer formed at the interface between a rear face of the porous layer and the Si support substrate.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell is disclosed herein. The fuel cell includes a silicon substrate, an electrolyte film laminated on the silicon substrate, and a gas flow path formed inside the silicon substrate. The electrolyte film is opposed to the gas flow path via an electrode film. A portion of a side wall of the gas flow path has a fillet shape, and the portion is close to the electrolyte film.

Abstract: A fuel cell system may include a first fuel cell provided on a first substrate; a second fuel cell provided on a second substrate, and having a power generation capacity higher than a power generation capacity of the first fuel cell; a first heater provided at the first fuel cell; a second heater provided at the second fuel cell; and a battery, wherein the first heater heats the first fuel cell by using power supplied from the battery, and wherein the second heater heats the second fuel cell by using power supplied from the first fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell disclosed herein may comprise: a substrate provided with a recess through which fuel gas passes; an electrolyte membrane covering an opening of the recess; an insulating film covering one surface of the electrolyte membrane and having a through hole reaching the electrolyte membrane; a first electrode in contact with the one surface of the electrolyte membrane in the through hole; a second electrode in contact with the other surface of the electrolyte membrane; and a heater disposed in the insulating film at a position adjacent to the through hole.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing an electrode that has a porous inorganic layer on the surface of an active material layer and is suitable for constructing a nonaqueous secondary battery with excellent input-output performance. In this manufacturing method, an electrode perform, which has an active material layer (344) consisting primarily of active material particles (42) and supported on a collector (342), is prepared. The water concentration of at least the surface (344a) of the active material layer (344) is adjusted to 100 ppm to 500 ppm. A slurry (S) containing inorganic particles (44), a binder and an organic solvent is coated on the surface (344a) of the active material layer with the water concentration thus adjusted, to form a porous inorganic layer.

Abstract: The lithium secondary battery provided by the present invention includes an electrode provided with an insulating particle-containing layer (34) having a configuration in which an active material layer (344) is retained on a current collector (342), and an insulating particle-containing layer (346), containing insulating particles (44) and a binder (46), is provided on the active material layer (344). A portion (346A) of the insulating particle-containing layer (346) facing the active material layer contains the binder (46) at a higher weight content than a portion (346B) facing an outer surface thereof.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing an electrode that has a porous inorganic layer on the surface of an active material layer and is suitable for constructing a nonaqueous secondary battery with excellent input-output performance. In this manufacturing method, an electrode perform, which has an active material layer (344) consisting primarily of active material particles (42) and supported on a collector (342), is prepared. The water concentration of at least the surface (344a) of the active material layer (344) is adjusted to 100 ppm to 500 ppm. A slurry (S) containing inorganic particles (44), a binder and an organic solvent is coated on the surface (344a) of the active material layer with the water concentration thus adjusted, to form a porous inorganic layer.

Abstract: A battery characteristic detecting method according to the invention includes a first step in which constant current discharge from a battery is performed at a predetermined current value, and a voltage during constant current discharge is measured; a second step in which overpotential for mass transfer control in the battery or resistance for the mass transfer control in the battery is calculated based on the voltage measured in the first step; and a third step in which a determination that a characteristic change has occurred in the battery is made, when the overpotential for the mass transfer control in the battery or the resistance for the mass transfer control in the battery calculated in the second step is larger than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a cathode active material for an alkaline battery with a lamellar crystal structure including nickel oxyhydroxide. The cathode active material has a diffraction peak at a position that ranges from 8.4 degrees to 10.4 degrees in diffraction angle 2? by X-ray diffraction using CuK?-rays. In addition, the present invention provides an alkaline battery having a cathode having a cathode active material, an anode having an anode active material, and an alkaline water solution as an electrolytic solution. Furthermore, the present invention provides a manufacturing method for a cathode active material for an alkaline battery with a lamellar crystal structure including nickel oxyhydroxide. The manufacturing method has an oxidation process for manufacturing the cathode active material by oxidizing a starting material made from ?-type nickel hydroxide with a lamellar crystal structure in an airstream including alkaline water solution or alkali.

Abstract: An alkaline storage battery 1 has: a cathode 2 containing ?-type nickel hydroxide and/or ?-type nickel oxyhydroxide as a cathode active material; an anode 3 containing an anode active material; and an alkaline aqueous solution as an electrolytic solution 4. The alkaline storage battery 1 is configured to restrain at least part of a crystal structure of the cathode active material from changing due to charging or discharging and to restrain the cathode active material from exhibiting a new diffraction peak at a position that ranges from 8.4 degrees to 10.4 degrees in X-ray diffraction angle 2? by X-ray diffraction using CuK?-rays. It is preferable that an anion-exchange membrane layer 25 should be provided on a surface of the cathode 2.

Abstract: A battery characteristic detecting method according to the invention includes a first step in which constant current discharge from a battery is performed at a predetermined current value, and a voltage during constant current discharge is measured; a second step in which overpotential for mass transfer control in the battery or resistance for the mass transfer control in the battery is calculated based on the voltage measured in the first step; and a third step in which a determination that a characteristic change has occurred in the battery is made, when the overpotential for the mass transfer control in the battery or the resistance for the mass transfer control in the battery calculated in the second step is larger than a predetermined threshold value.