Abstract: An electrode for a secondary battery that includes a collector and an active material layer formed on the collector. The active material layer is configured of a plurality of layers including at least a first layer formed on the collector, and a second layer formed on the first layer. An end portion of the collector at an edge portion of the electrode is widened in an electrode thickness direction with respect to a plate thickness of the collector.

Abstract: A stacked secondary battery having an electrode body in which at least one positive and at least one negative plate are stacked, with a multilayered separator interposed, said separator including two porous layers of different materials; and an outer packaging case housing an insulating holder and an electrolyte together, said insulating holder housing the electrode body and being formed of overlapping sheets comprises an insulating material. The outer packaging case has a bottom surface, a plurality of side walls that are provided standing upright from the bottom surface, and an opening that is opposite from the bottom surface. In at least one separator, a section that is exposed from end surfaces of active material mixture layers and metal foil-comprising core bodies of the positive plate and the negative plate is in contact with the vicinity of a bottom line of a valley section that is formed from the sheet.

Abstract: An electrode for a secondary battery that includes a collector and an active material layer formed on the collector. The active material layer is configured of a plurality of layers including at least a first layer formed on the collector, and a second layer formed on the first layer. An end portion of the collector at an edge portion of the electrode is widened in an electrode thickness direction with respect to a plate thickness of the collector.

Abstract: In order to provide a membrane electrode assembly that can further improve power generation performances of a fuel cell, the present invention allows a rib portion (22) that separates mutually adjacent gas flow passages (21) from each other to have a porosity lower than the porosity of a lower area (23) of the rib portion. Thus, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the rib portion and excessive permeation of a reaction gas, and consequently to further improve the power generation performances.

Abstract: An operation method of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell system including an anode (3) supplied with a fuel gas containing hydrogen, a cathode (4) supplied with an oxidizing gas containing oxygen, and a polymer electrolyte membrane (5) sandwiched between the anode (3) and the cathode (4), comprises supplying to the anode (3) the fuel gas humidified with a higher level than the oxidizing gas to cause the anode (3) to have a humidified state with a higher level than the cathode (4), in start-up of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell system.

Abstract: An operation method of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell system including an anode (3) supplied with a fuel gas containing hydrogen, a cathode (4) supplied with an oxidizing gas containing oxygen, and a polymer electrolyte membrane (5) sandwiched between the anode (3) and the cathode (4), comprises supplying to the anode (3) the fuel gas humidified with a higher level than the oxidizing gas to cause the anode (3) to have a humidified state with a higher level than the cathode (4), in start-up of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell system.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell 1 having a fuel gas passage 1D and an oxidizing gas passage 1E; a fuel gas feeder 2; an oxidizing gas feeder 3; a fuel gas exhaust passage 8; an oxidizing gas exhaust passage 9; a test gas feeder 20 configured to feed a test gas to either the fuel gas passage 1D or the oxidizing gas passage 1E; a flow rate detector 5 configured to detect the flow rate of the test gas; a first passage blocking device 4; and a controller 10, wherein said controller 10 controls said first passage blocking device 4 to block off the passage and controls the test gas feeder 2 to feed the test gas to said fuel cell 1, thereby obtaining a detected value from the flow rate detector 5 or an airtightness value that is numerical information into which the detected value is converted.

Abstract: In order to provide a membrane electrode assembly that can further improve power generation performances of a fuel cell, the present invention allows a rib portion (22) that separates mutually adjacent gas flow passages (21) from each other to have a porosity lower than the porosity of a lower area (23) of the rib portion. Thus, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the rib portion and excessive permeation of a reaction gas, and consequently to further improve the power generation performances.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell 1 having a fuel gas passage 1D and an oxidizing gas passage 1E; a fuel gas feeder 2; an oxidizing gas feeder 3; a fuel gas exhaust passage 8; an oxidizing gas exhaust passage 9; a test gas feeder 20 configured to feed a test gas to either the fuel gas passage 1D or the oxidizing gas passage 1E; a flow rate detector 5 configured to detect the flow rate of the test gas; a first passage blocking device 4; and a controller 10, wherein said controller 10 controls said first passage blocking device 4 to block off the passage and controls the test gas feeder 2 to feed the test gas to said fuel cell 1, thereby obtaining a detected value from the flow rate detector 5 or an airtightness value that is numerical information into which the detected value is converted.

Abstract: There are provided measuring units of measuring the amount of fluoride ions in the waste material from a fuel cell which receives a fuel gas and an oxidizing agent gas containing oxygen to undergo electrochemical reaction by which electricity is generated and a life predicting unit of predicting the life of the fuel cell by the use of the amount of fluoride ions thus measured.

Abstract: A highly reliable polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes an anode-side separator plate and a cathode-side separator plate that are provided with an anode-side sealing member and a cathode-side sealing member, respectively. The anode-side and cathode-side sealing members seal the cell in cooperation with a polymer electrolyte membrane at sealing parts where the anode-side and cathode-side sealing members are opposed to each other, thereby preventing gas from leaking out of gas flow channels. One of the anode-side and cathode-side sealing members has a pointed rib that comes in contact with the sealing parts in a linear manner, and the other sealing member comes in contact with the sealing parts surface to surface.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell 1 having a fuel gas passage 1D and an oxidizing gas passage 1E; a fuel gas feeder 2; an oxidizing gas feeder 3; a fuel gas exhaust passage 8; an oxidizing gas exhaust passage 9; a test gas feeder 20 configured to feed a test gas to either the fuel gas passage 1D or the oxidizing gas passage 1E; a flow rate detector 5 configured to detect the flow rate of the test gas; a first passage blocking device 4; and a controller 10, wherein said controller 10 controls said first passage blocking device 4 to block off the passage and controls the test gas feeder 2 to feed the test gas to said fuel cell 1, thereby obtaining a detected value from the flow rate detector 5 or an airtightness value that is numerical information into which the detected value is converted.

Abstract: An alkaline storage battery comprising an electrode assembly housed in a vessel, said electrode assembly comprising a positive electrode plate obtained by filling an active material comprising nickel hydroxide as the principal component into a metallic porous body substrate having three-dimensionally continuous space, followed by pressing, and a negative electrode plate which are opposed to each other with a separator placed therebetween, wherein said positive electrode plate used has been prepared by filling the active material into a plurality of the substrates and then placing at least two of the resulting positive electrode plates one upon another and pressing them to give a single positive electrode plate.

Abstract: There are provided measuring units of measuring the amount of fluoride ions in the waste material from a fuel cell which receives a fuel gas and an oxidizing agent gas containing oxygen to undergo electrochemical reaction by which electricity is generated and a life predicting unit of predicting the life of the fuel cell by the use of the amount of fluoride ions thus measured.

Abstract: A highly reliable polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes an anode-side separator plate and a cathode-side separator plate that are provided with an anode-side sealing member and a cathode-side sealing member, respectively. The anode-side and cathode-side sealing members seal the cell in cooperation with a polymer electrolyte membrane at sealing parts where the anode-side and cathode-side sealing members are opposed to each other, thereby preventing gas from leaking out of gas flow channels. One of the anode-side and cathode-side sealing members has a pointed rib that comes in contact with the sealing parts in a linear manner, and the other sealing member comes in contact with the sealing parts surface to surface.

Abstract: An alkaline storage battery comprising an electrode assembly housed in a vessel, said electrode assembly comprising a positive electrode plate obtained by filling an active material comprising nickel hydroxide as the principal component into a metallic porous body substrate having three-dimensionally continuous space, followed by pressing, and a negative electrode plate which are opposed to each other with a separator placed therebetween, wherein said positive electrode plate used has been prepared by filling the active material into a plurality of the substrates and then placing at least two of the resulting positive electrode plates one upon another and pressing them to give a single positive electrode plate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flame-retardant resin composition which comprises 100 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin (A) and 0.1 to 30 parts by weight of one or more of organic phosphorus compounds (B) represented by the following formula (1) ##STR1## wherein X is ##STR2## R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 independently represent a phenyl group or a xylyl group with at least one being a phenyl group and at least one being a xylyl group, and n is a positive integer.The flame-retardant resin composition of the present invention is excellent in heat resistance, impact strength in the form of thin-walled moldings and blooming-free property on the surface of articles molded therefrom.

Abstract: A polyphenylene ether resin composition, comprising a polyphenylene ether resin and a rubber-reinforced styrenic resin, said composition containing rubber particles dispersed therein, which particles having a distribution of sizes such that there are at least one maximal value at 1.5.mu. or less and at least one maximal valve at 2 to 3.mu. in volume fraction of the sizes, with the ratio of the former maximal value to the latter maximal value being within the range of from 1/4 to 4/1, and substantially no rubber particles having a size of 3.mu. or larger exist. The composition can be used widely for uses such as industrial parts, electrical parts, office instrument housing, automobile parts, precision parts, etc.

Abstract: A high-gloss, impact-resistant rubber-modified polystyrene composition, characterized in that said rubber-modified polystyrene consists essentially of(i) a polystyrene,(ii) dispersed particles of elastomeric polymers, and optionally polydimethylsiloxane and at least one member selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, and metallic salts or amides of higher fatty acids based on the total weight of the composition.

Abstract: A process for producing a copolymer by continuously copolymerizing in a solution monomers comprising 40 to 95% by weight of an aromatic vinyl compound and 5 to 60% by weight of a vinyl cyanide compound, and further 0 to 30% by weight of a vinyl compound copolymerizable with the aromatic vinyl compound and vinyl cyanide compound, wherein 10 to 100 parts by weight of a solvent containing not less than 40% by weight of an alcohol is used as the polymerization solvent based on 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the monomers. According to the process, attachment of a gel-like polymer onto the polymerization vessel or device can be prevented. The copolymer is useful as a thermoplastic resin for various molded articles including electrical parts for domestic uses, automobile parts and commodity goods.