Abstract: Porous silicon particles and complex porous silicon particles suitable for negative electrode materials etc. for lithium-ion batteries, which achieve high capacity and good cycling characteristics, are provided. Porous silicon particles formed by the joining of a plurality of silicon microparticles, and having an average particle diameter of 0.1 ?m to 1000 ?m, a three-dimensional network structure having continuous gaps, an average porosity of 15 to 93%, and a structure in which the particles of a whole particle are uniform. Complex porous silicon particles formed by the joining of a plurality of silicon microparticles and a plurality of silicon compound particles, and characterized by containing a compound of silicon and composite elements, having an average particle diameter of 0.1 ?m to 1000 ?m, and having a three-dimensional network structure having continuous gaps.

Abstract: An apparatus for production of a fuel cell catalyst layer forming a catalyst layer by a catalyst paste, the apparatus including a device for removal of water to obtain a polyelectrolyte solution by reducing, to a predetermined value or less, the concentration of water in a pre-solution in which a polyelectrolyte having a side chain including a hydrophilic functional group is dissolved in a solvent; and an agitator means for obtaining the catalyst paste by mixing a pre-paste obtained by mixing a catalyst with water and the polyelectrolyte solution.

Abstract: An apparatus for production of a fuel cell catalyst layer forming a catalyst layer by a catalyst paste, the apparatus including a device for removal of water to obtain a polyelectrolyte solution by reducing, to a predetermined value or less, the concentration of water in a pre-solution in which a polyelectrolyte having a side chain including a hydrophilic functional group is dissolved in a solvent; and an agitator means for obtaining the catalyst paste by mixing a pre-paste obtained by mixing a catalyst with water and the polyelectrolyte solution.

Abstract: A metallic material containing both a second constituent and a third constituent having positive and negative heats of mixing relative to a first constituent, respectively, and including a compound, an alloy or a nonequilibrium alloy having a melting point that is higher than the solidifying point of a metal bath made of the first constituent is placed in the metal bath. The metal bath is controlled to a temperature lower than a minimum value of a liquidus temperature within a range of compositional variations in which the amount of the third constituent in the metallic material decreases down to a point where the metallic material becomes substantially the second constituent so that the third constituent is selectively dissolved into the metal bath.

Abstract: A resin cylinder head cover for an internal combustion engine includes a resin cover main body and a resin oil passage that is integrated with the cover main body. As a result, the problems of increase in the number of components and deterioration of the oil sealing performance in a resin cylinder head cover are solved.

Abstract: A double glazing comprising a pair of glass sheets attached in face-to-face juxtaposition to each other and an elongate spacer disposed between opposing faces of the glass sheets along entire peripheral edges thereof for maintaining a gap therebetween. A first seal interposed between each of the opposing faces of the glass sheets and each lateral face of the spacer. A second seal disposed at an inter-edge space formed by the glass sheets adjacent an outer face of the spacer exposed to the outside. A desiccant charged at a space formed within the spacer to maintain the sealing effect of the seals on the sealed space and to readily maintain dry condition of the sealed space. The spacer comprises a channel-forming spacer outer frame portion having a channel bottom portion disposed on the side of the second seal and a desiccant accommodating portion for accommodating the desiccant within the channel of the spacer outer frame portion.

Abstract: A resin cylinder head cover includes an attaching portion and a sleeve. The attaching portion is formed of resin, and is a portion of the cylinder head cover to which the oil control valve is to be attached. The sleeve is embedded in the attaching portion. The sleeve has an interior space that permits the oil control valve to be accommodated therein and oil holes. Each oil hole is selectively connected to one of ports of the oil control valve accommodated in the interior space of the sleeve. The sleeve is formed of material having higher rigidity than the resin forming the attaching portion. Therefore, the cylinder head cover maintains highly reliable attachment of an oil control valve without a large number of high precision machining steps and prevents deformation of the attaching portion.

Abstract: A fuel cell wherein efficient cooling is achieved by supplying air and cooling water simultaneously while maintaining cooling and wetting of a membrane without increasing the size of the fuel cell. The fuel cell includes a separator sandwiched between unit cells. The separator includes an air passage on a front surface side abutting at least on a cathode of the unit cell and cooling passages supplied with air and water on the rear side thereof to cool the unit cell with latent heat of evaporation of water by heat of the unit cell transmitted to the cooling space. Thereby, the unit cell is cooled via the separator and clogging of the air passages by water is prevented.

Abstract: A valve case includes an attaching portion and a sleeve. The valve case is attached to a cylinder head cover main body formed of resin. The attaching portion is formed of resin and is a portion of the valve case to which an oil control valve is to be attached. The sleeve is embedded in the attaching portion, and has an interior space that permits the oil control valve to be accommodated therein and oil holes. Each oil hole is selectively connected to one of ports of the oil control valve accommodated in the interior space of the sleeve. The sleeve is formed of material having higher rigidity than the resin forming the attaching portion. Therefore, the valve case prevents deformation of the attaching portion.

Abstract: A spacer for a double-glazing unit, and a double-glazing unit, which make it possible to improve the durability performance of the double-glazing unit and moreover are capable of housing a granular desiccant in the spacer. The double-glazing unit 10 is comprised of a pair of glass plates 11 and 12 each of thickness 3.0 mm that face one another with a predetermined gap therebetween, a spacer 13 that is inserted between the glass plates 11 and 12 at a peripheral portion thereof so as to fix the predetermined gap between the glass plates 11 and 12 at, for example, 14.5 mm, and a secondary sealant 16 that is filled between the glass plates 11 and 12 on the outside of the spacer 13 and seals the spacer 13 from the exterior. The spacer 13 is comprised of an elongated thin-walled hollow body 13b that is interposed via a primary sealant 15 between the pair of glass plates 11 and 12 in the double-glazing unit 10 and houses a desiccant 13a.

Abstract: A resin cylinder head cover for an internal combustion engine includes a resin cover main body and a resin oil passage that is integrated with the cover main body. As a result, the problems of increase in the number of components and deterioration of the oil sealing performance in a resin cylinder head cover are solved.

Abstract: A valve case includes an attaching portion and a sleeve. The valve case is attached to a cylinder head cover main body formed of resin. The attaching portion is formed of resin and is a portion of the valve case to which an oil control valve is to be attached. The sleeve is embedded in the attaching portion, and has an interior space that permits the oil control valve to be accommodated therein and oil holes. Each oil hole is selectively connected to one of ports of the oil control valve accommodated in the interior space of the sleeve. The sleeve is formed of material having higher rigidity than the resin forming the attaching portion. Therefore, the valve case prevents deformation of the attaching portion.

Abstract: A resin cylinder head cover includes an attaching portion and a sleeve. The attaching portion is formed of resin, and is a portion of the cylinder head cover to which the oil control valve is to be attached. The sleeve is embedded in the attaching portion. The sleeve has an interior space that permits the oil control valve to be accommodated therein and oil holes. Each oil hole is selectively connected to one of ports of the oil control valve accommodated in the interior space of the sleeve. The sleeve is formed of material having higher rigidity than the resin forming the attaching portion. Therefore, the cylinder head cover maintains highly reliable attachment of an oil control valve without a large number of high precision machining steps and prevents deformation of the attaching portion.

Abstract: A fuel cell with enhanced cell output includes a fuel electrode which has a fuel-diffusion layer for diffusing fuel and a fuel-reactive layer for reaction of the fuel; an oxygen electrode which has an oxygen-diffusion layer for diffusing oxygen and an oxygen-reactive layer for reaction of the oxygen; and an electrolyte layer between the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode. The fuel-reactive layer is in contact with the fuel-diffusion layer, and the oxygen-reactive layer is in contact with the oxygen-diffusion layer. Further, the fuel-diffusion layer has high water-repellency than the oxygen-diffusion layer.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide an efficient cooling by supplying air and cooling water simultaneously while keeping cooling and wetting of a membrane without having a fuel cell large-sized. A fuel cell includes a separator 10B between unit cells 10A adjacent to each other. The separator includes an air pass S1 on a front surface side abutting at least on a cathode of the unit cell and it includes a cooling space S2 supplied with air and water on the rear side thereof to cool the unit cell with latent heat of water evaporated by heat of the unit cell transmitted to the cooling space. Thereby, the unit cell is cooled via the separator and clogging up of the air pass caused by water entering is prevented.

Abstract: A fuel cell comprises a fuel electrode which has a fuel-diffusion layer for diffusing fuel and a fuel-reactive layer for having the fuel react; an oxygen electrode which has an oxygen-diffusion layer for diffusing oxygen and an oxygen-reactive layer for having the oxygen react; an electrolyte layer which is arranged between the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode. In this fuel cell, the fuel-reactive layer is in contact with the fuel-diffusion layer, and the oxygen-reactive layer is in contact with the oxygen-diffusion layer. Further, the fuel-diffusion layer has higher water-repellency than that of the oxygen-diffusion layer. According to this fuel cell, cell outputs of fuel cells can be enhanced. Thus, fuel cells and fuel cell devices, which bring high cell outputs, can be provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to double glazing having two glass sheets with numerous spacers arranged therebetween, a void therebetween being sealed in a decompressed condition. Conventionally, the glass sheets have edges thereof spaced from each other by a seal. Under the influence of the binding force of the seal atmospheric pressure tends to act less on outermost spacers than on the other spacers. Consequently, the outermost spacers tend to move between the glass sheets. According to this invention, an outer interval (L1) between each outermost row of spacers (2) and a seal (4) is set at least equal to a basic interval (L0) between the outermost row and a second row adjacent thereto. Consequently, the spacers in the outermost rows bear a larger share of atmospheric pressure acting on the sheet surfaces than the spacers in the other rows. A sufficient force is secured to hold the spacers in the outermost rows in place, thereby preventing the spacers in the outermost rows from moving between the two glass sheets.