Abstract: Provided are a chemical decontamination method and a chemical decontamination apparatus capable of preventing deterioration of a metal ion exchange resin and performing decontamination at a low cost in a short time. The chemical decontamination method of the invention includes: a reduction decontamination step of supplying a reduction decontamination solution to a decontamination target portion and performing reduction decontamination on a surface of a member constituting the decontamination target portion; a hydrogen peroxide decomposition step of decomposing hydrogen peroxide contained in the reduction decontamination solution after the reduction decontamination step; and a metal ion removing step of removing a metal ion contained in the reduction decontamination solution after the hydrogen peroxide decomposition step.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to achieve both high initial performance and durability performance of a fuel cell. Such object can be achieved by using a fuel cell electrode catalyst that includes a solid carbon carrier and an alloy of platinum and cobalt supported on the carrier.

Abstract: A water-repellent layer for fuel cell contains a water-repellent material and a hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst. A mass ratio of the hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst to the water-repellent material is between 5 mass percent and 20 mass percent, inclusive.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly that has an electrode catalyst layer formed on a surface of an electrolyte membrane. The electrode catalyst layer formed in the membrane electrode assembly is produced by a drying process that dries a catalyst ink which includes catalyst-supported particles having a catalyst metal supported thereon, a solvent and an ionomer, at a predetermined temperature. The catalyst ink includes a plurality of different solvents having different boiling points. The predetermined temperature is set to be lower than the boiling point of the solvent having the lowest boiling point among the plurality of different solvents.

Abstract: The fuel cell catalyst layer has: a catalyst including a carbon support having pores with a pore diameter of from 1 nm to 5 nm and a catalyst metal supported within the pores of the carbon support; and an ionomer having a glass transition temperature equal to or greater than 160° C.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing an electrode catalyst layer for fuel cell. This manufacturing method comprises: (a) separating an ionomer solution by centrifugation into a supernatant that includes only an ionomer as a low molecular-weight component in the ionomer solution and a sediment including an ionomer as a high molecular-weight component having a higher molecular weight than that of the low molecular-weight component included in the supernatant; (b) using the ionomer included in the sediment as an ionomer for electrode catalyst layer and producing a catalyst ink that includes catalyst-supported particles with a catalyst metal supported thereon, a solvent and the ionomer for electrode catalyst layer; and (c) using the catalyst ink to form an electrode catalyst layer.

Abstract: A catalyst electrode layer is configured to be disposed in contact with an electrolyte membrane of a fuel cell. A content of Fe per unit area of the catalyst electrode layer is equal to or larger than 0 ?g/cm2 and equal to or smaller than 0.14 ?g/cm2, and a water absorption rate of the catalyst electrode layer is equal to or higher than 11% and equal to or lower than 30%.

Abstract: The method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly that has an electrode catalyst layer formed on a surface of an electrolyte membrane comprises (a) producing an electrode catalyst layer by drying a catalyst ink that includes catalyst-supported particles having a catalyst metal supported thereon, a solvent and an ionomer; and (b) selecting a produced electrode catalyst layer that contains an amount of sulfate ion equal to or less than a specified reference value, and manufacturing the membrane electrode assembly by using the selected electrode catalyst layer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to achieve both high initial performance and durability performance of a fuel cell.

Abstract: There is provided a technique of preventing degradation of an electrolyte membrane included in a fuel cell. A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly. The membrane electrode assembly is provided as a power generation device where electrodes are arranged on both sides of an electrolyte membrane having proton conductivity. Each of the electrodes has a layered structure of stacking a catalyst layer arranged to support a catalyst and a gas diffusion layer arranged to spread a reactive gas over the entire electrode plane. The outer peripheral edge of the gas diffusion layer is located inward of the outer peripheral edge of the catalyst layer.

Abstract: An object is to prevent an increase in overall thickness of a membrane electrode assembly. There is provided a membrane electrode assembly. The membrane electrode assembly comprises an electrolyte membrane; a catalyst layer that is formed on a surface of the electrolyte membrane and includes a catalyst and an ionomer; and a gas diffusion layer that is formed on a surface of the catalyst layer on an opposite side to the electrolyte membrane. The catalyst layer includes a first layer that is in contact with the electrolyte membrane and a second layer that is in contact with the gas diffusion layer. An amount of the ionomer in a first portion of the first layer that is in contact with the electrolyte membrane is larger than an amount of the ionomer in a second portion of the first layer that is in contact with the second layer. An amount of the ionomer in a third portion of the second layer that is in contact with the gas diffusion layer is larger than the amount of the ionomer in the first portion.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly for use in a fuel cell battery includes: an electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer formed on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode catalyst layer formed on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode gas diffusion layer stacked on the anode catalyst layer; and a cathode gas diffusion layer stacked on the cathode catalyst layer. The anode catalyst layer, the cathode catalyst layer, the anode gas diffusion layer, and the cathode gas diffusion layer have the same thermal insulation performance per thickness. The membrane electrode assembly satisfies all relations of T1+T3<T2+T4, T1<T2, and T3>T4 where thicknesses of the anode catalyst layer, the cathode catalyst layer, the anode gas diffusion layer, and the cathode gas diffusion layer in a stacking direction are defined as T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively.

Abstract: The fuel cell catalyst layer has: a catalyst including a highly crystalline carbon support and a catalyst metal supported by the highly crystalline carbon support; and an ionomer having a glass transition temperature equal to or greater than 160° C.

Abstract: The fuel cell catalyst layer has: a catalyst including a carbon support having pores with a pore diameter of from 1 nm to 5 nm and a catalyst metal supported within the pores of the carbon support; and an ionomer having a glass transition temperature equal to or greater than 160° C.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a fuel cell module includes: forming an outer divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber having adhesiveness in a seal member arrangement portion of a separator to produce an outer temporary assembly, and forming an inner divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber in a peripheral edge portion of an electrode member to produce an inner temporary assembly; fitting the inner temporary assembly into a frame of the outer temporary assembly to produce a cell assembly temporary assembly; arranging a cell assembly stack, in which a plurality of the cell assembly temporary assemblies are stacked, in a forming die; and pressurizing and heating the forming die to crosslink the uncrosslinked item

Abstract: A fuel cell includes an electrolyte membrane, a first electrode, a second electrode and a stress suppressing structure. The first electrode is joined to one surface of the electrolyte membrane. The second electrode is joined to an other surface of the electrolyte membrane. The first peripheral section which is at least part of periphery of the first electrode is located on an inner side along a planar direction of the first electrode than respective peripheries of the electrolyte membrane and the second electrode. The stress suppressing structure is configured to suppress concentration of stress on a location along the first peripheral section in the electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: An object is to prevent an increase in overall thickness of a membrane electrode assembly. There is provided a membrane electrode assembly. The membrane electrode assembly comprises an electrolyte membrane; a catalyst layer that is formed on a surface of the electrolyte membrane and includes a catalyst and an ionomer; and a gas diffusion layer that is formed on a surface of the catalyst layer on an opposite side to the electrolyte membrane. The catalyst layer includes a first layer that is in contact with the electrolyte membrane and a second layer that is in contact with the gas diffusion layer. An amount of the ionomer in a first portion of the first layer that is in contact with the electrolyte membrane is larger than an amount of the ionomer in a second portion of the first layer that is in contact with the second layer. An amount of the ionomer in a third portion of the second layer that is in contact with the gas diffusion layer is larger than the amount of the ionomer in the first portion.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly that has an electrode catalyst layer formed on a surface of an electrolyte membrane. The electrode catalyst layer formed in the membrane electrode assembly is produced by a drying process that dries a catalyst ink which includes catalyst-supported particles having a catalyst metal supported thereon, a solvent and an ionomer, at a predetermined temperature. The catalyst ink includes a plurality of different solvents having different boiling points. The predetermined temperature is set to be lower than the boiling point of the solvent having the lowest boiling point among the plurality of different solvents.

Abstract: The method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly that has an electrode catalyst layer formed on a surface of an electrolyte membrane comprises (a) producing an electrode catalyst layer by drying a catalyst ink that includes catalyst-supported particles having a catalyst metal supported thereon, a solvent and an ionomer; and (b) selecting a produced electrode catalyst layer that contains an amount of sulfate ion equal to or less than a specified reference value, and manufacturing the membrane electrode assembly by using the selected electrode catalyst layer.

Abstract: A catalyst electrode layer is configured to be disposed in contact with an electrolyte membrane of a fuel cell. A content of Fe per unit area of the catalyst electrode layer is equal to or larger than 0 ?g/cm2 and equal to or smaller than 0.14 ?g/cm2, and a water absorption rate of the catalyst electrode layer is equal to or higher than 11% and equal to or lower than 30%.