Abstract: A porous gas diffusion electrode provided on a polymer electrolyte such that a gas can be introduced, for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, includes a carbon fiber, and an electric conductive polymer and a thermoset resin that bond the carbon fibers to each other.

Abstract: A tubular fuel cell includes an inner current collector, a membrane-electrode assembly, and seal portions provided at the axial end portions of the membrane-electrode assembly, respectively. The membrane-electrode assembly includes an inner catalyst layer provided on the inner current collector, an electrolyte membrane provided on the inner catalyst layer, and an outer catalyst layer provided on the electrolyte membrane. The axial length of the outer catalyst layer is shorter than the axial lengths of the electrolyte membrane and the outer catalyst layer. The axial end face of the outer catalyst layer and the axial end face of the inner catalyst layer are located on the opposite sides of the seal portion in each side of the tubular fuel cell.

Abstract: A tubular fuel cell comprises a cylindrical internal electrode having electrical conductivity, a lamination of a first catalytic layer, an electrolytic layer, and a second catalytic layer laminated in that order on an outer circumferential surface of the internal electrode, and an electrically conductive exterior coil wound around an outer circumferential surface of the second catalytic layer. The tubular fuel cell further comprises an electrically conductive spacer which has an outside diameter greater than that of the exterior coil.

Abstract: This invention intends to improve the catalyst efficiency by sufficiently providing a triple phase boundary where reaction gas, catalysts, and electrolytes meet in carbon nanohorns. With the utilization of the resulting MEA, the electrode reactions are allowed to effectively proceed, and the power generation efficiency of a fuel cell is improved to result in a solid polymer fuel cell with excellent properties. Such solid polymer fuel cell comprises electrodes having a catalyst layer comprising: a carrier comprising a carbon nanohorn aggregate; catalytic metals supported on the carrier comprising a carbon nanohorn aggregate; and polymer electrolytes coating the carrier comprising a carbon nanohorn aggregate, wherein the proportion of the polymer electrolyte to the carbon nanohorn aggregate is 0.32:1 to 0.70:1 by weight.

Abstract: A fuel cell module that includes: a plurality of tubular fuel cells, each of which contains a cylindrically shaped inner electrode that exhibits conductivity, a first catalyst layer, an electrolyte layer, and a second catalyst layer laminated sequentially to the outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode, and an external coil that exhibits conductivity and is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the second catalyst layer in such a manner that a first coil section with a loose winding pitch is sandwiched between second coil sections with a tight winding pitch; and a current collecting member that exhibits conductivity and is provided with a plurality of openings into which the tubular fuel cells can be inserted, wherein the first coil sections and the openings fit together.

Abstract: To provide a tube-type fuel cell, which has an electricity-collecting structure that makes it possible to collect electricity in axially-orthogonal directions in an outside electricity collector of single cell constituting the tube-type fuel cell, and whose electricity-collecting distance is so less as to make it possible to be of low resistance.

Abstract: A porous gas diffusion electrode provided on a polymer electrolyte such that a gas can be introduced, for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, includes a carbon fiber, and an electric conductive polymer and a thermoset resin that bond the carbon fibers to each other.

Abstract: It is an assignment to provide a fuel cell whose battery performance is high, whose gas sealing performance of fuel gas and oxidizing-agent gas can be improved by means of an opposite-end construction of a single cell 1 for fuel cell, and which can inhibit the decline of OCV. The tube-type single cell 1 according to the present invention for fuel cell is characterized in that, in a tube-type single cell 1 for fuel cell, the tube-type single cell 1 being formed by putting an inside electricity collector 11, a first catalytic electrode layer 12, an electrolytic layer 13, a second catalytic electrode layer 14 and an outside electricity collector 15 coaxially in a lamination in this order from an axial center, at least the electrolytic layer 13 protrudes beyond the second catalytic electrode layer 14 and the outside electricity collector 15 in at least one of opposite ends of the single cell 1; and an outer peripheral surface 132 of the electrolytic layer 13 being protruded is exposed.

Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus for treating powder that can enhance the efficiency of powder stirring by a simple mechanism and can uniformly coat all the powder surfaces with a metal catalyst and the like. The apparatus 10 for treating powder comprises at least: a chamber 11 for accommodating the powdery carbon support C, . . . comprising at least a bottom 11a, an endless upright wall 11b, and a plurality of skimming weirs 11c, . . . circumferentially provided on the inner peripheral surface of the upright wall 11b, provided that the chamber is rotatable around the vertical axis of the bottom 11a extended toward a given angle of inclination; an impact application means 15 for applying an impact to the chamber 11 at given time intervals; and an irradiation means (i.e., an arc plasma gun 3) for irradiating the inside of the chamber 11 with plasma.

Abstract: A tubular fuel cell comprises a cylindrical internal electrode having electrical conductivity, a lamination of a first catalytic layer, an electrolytic layer, and a second catalytic layer laminated in that order on an outer circumferential surface of the internal electrode, and an electrically conductive exterior coil wound around an outer circumferential surface of the second catalytic layer. The tubular fuel cell further comprises an electrically conductive spacer which has an outside diameter greater than that of the exterior coil.

Abstract: A solid polymer fuel cell has a catalyst layer including a nanohorn aggregate as a catalyst carrier, catalyst metal supported on the catalyst carrier, and a polymer electrolyte coating the catalyst carrier. Voltage higher than the open circuit voltage of the solid polymer fuel cell is applied to the catalyst layer so as to increase triphasic interfaces at which the reaction gas reduced at the catalyst layer, the catalyst metal, and the polymer electrolyte meet.

Abstract: In a high-pressure tank, an adjacent part of a liner and a protruded part of a cap are provided adjacently to each other, and in respective annular grooves in the protruded part, an O-ring for sealing adjacent portions of the adjacent part and the protruded part is loaded. A backup ring provided in the inside of the adjacent part of the liner has a hardness higher than that of the liner. Therefore, deformation of the adjacent part that would be caused by the respective O-rings is suppressed, and the respective O-rings can be sufficiently compressed, whereby reliable sealing between the liner and the cap can be provided. In addition, when the pressure inside of the high-pressure tank is increased to a high pressure, even if the cap is pushed out toward the outside resulting in the protruded part of the cap being shrinkage-deformed toward the inside in the radial direction due to the stresses, the respective O-rings can maintain the state of sealing between the protruded part and the adjacent part.

Abstract: A tubular fuel cell includes an inner current collector, a membrane-electrode assembly, and seal portions provided at the axial end portions of the membrane-electrode assembly, respectively. The membrane-electrode assembly includes an inner catalyst layer provided on the inner current collector, an electrolyte membrane provided on the inner catalyst layer, and an outer catalyst layer provided on the electrolyte membrane. The axial length of the outer catalyst layer is shorter than the axial lengths of the electrolyte membrane and the outer catalyst layer. The axial end face of the outer catalyst layer and the axial end face of the inner catalyst layer are located on the opposite sides of the seal portion in each side of the tubular fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell module that includes: a plurality of tubular fuel cells, each of which contains a cylindrically shaped inner electrode that exhibits conductivity, a first catalyst layer, an electrolyte layer, and a second catalyst layer laminated sequentially to the outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode, and an external coil that exhibits conductivity and is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the second catalyst layer in such a manner that a first coil section with a loose winding pitch is sandwiched between second coil sections with a tight winding pitch; and a current collecting member that exhibits conductivity and is provided with a plurality of openings into which the tubular fuel cells can be inserted, wherein the first coil sections and the openings fit together.

Abstract: This invention intends to improve the catalyst efficiency by sufficiently providing a triple phase boundary where reaction gas, catalysts, and electrolytes meet in carbon nanohorns. With the utilization of the resulting MEA, the electrode reactions are allowed to effectively proceed, and the power generation efficiency of a fuel cell is improved to result in a solid polymer fuel cell with excellent properties. Such solid polymer fuel cell comprises electrodes having a catalyst layer comprising: a carrier comprising a carbon nanohorn aggregate; catalytic metals supported on the carrier comprising a carbon nanohorn aggregate; and polymer electrolytes coating the carrier comprising a carbon nanohorn aggregate, wherein the proportion of the polymer electrolyte to the carbon nanohorn aggregate is 0.32:1 to 0.70:1 by weight.

Abstract: In a high-pressure tank, an adjacent part of a liner and a protruded part of a cap are provided adjacently to each other, and in respective annular grooves in the protruded part, an O-ring for sealing adjacent portions of the adjacent part and the protruded part is loaded. A backup ring provided in the inside of the adjacent part of the liner has a hardness higher than that of the liner. Therefore, deformation of the adjacent part that would be caused by the respective O-rings is suppressed, and the respective O-rings can be sufficiently compressed, whereby reliable sealing between the liner and the cap can be provided. In addition, when the pressure inside of the high-pressure tank is increased to a high pressure, even if the cap is pushed out toward the outside resulting in the protruded part of the cap being shrinkage-deformed toward the inside in the radial direction due to the stresses, the respective O-rings can maintain the state of sealing between the protruded part and the adjacent part.

Abstract: In a state where a gas barrier sheet (10) having a gas barrier layer is held between a heat plate (12) and a pressing plate, the gas barrier sheet is disposed between two molds together with a sub tank (44) and a separator (46) constituting attachment parts, the molds are then closed and a resin is injection-molded forming a resin layer (36). A method for manufacturing a resin container by melt-adhering an intermediate molded product (38) and another intermediate molded product (38) constituting a pair therewith by heating with a heat plate (12) thereafter, and a resin container manufactured by this manufacturing method.

Abstract: In a state where a gas barrier sheet (10) having a gas barrier layer is held between a heat plate (12) and a pressing plate, the gas barrier sheet is disposed between two molds together with a sub tank (44) and a separator (46) constituting attachment parts, the molds are then closed and a resin is injection-molded forming a resin layer (36). A method for manufacturing a resin container by melt-adhering an intermediate molded product (38) and another intermediate molded product (38) constituting a pair therewith by heating with a heat plate (12) thereafter, and a resin container manufactured by this manufacturing method.

Abstract: In a state where a gas barrier sheet (10) having a gas barrier layer is held between a heat plate (12) and a pressing plate, the gas barrier sheet is disposed between two molds together with a sub tank (44) and a separator (46) constituting attachment parts, the molds are then closed and a resin is injection-molded forming a resin layer (36). A method for manufacturing a resin container by melt-adhering an intermediate molded product (38) and another intermediate molded product (38) constituting a pair therewith by heating with a heat plate (12) thereafter, and a resin container manufactured by this manufacturing method.