Abstract: An electrocatalyst material having improved stability to corrosion compared to existing conductive high surface area carbon and metal carbide support materials is disclosed. The electrocatalyst material comprises (i) metal carbide nanotubes and (ii) a metal or metal alloy deposited on the metal carbide nanotubes. The electrocatalyst material is suitable for oxidising hydrogen, reducing oxygen or evolving hydrogen.

Abstract: A proton-conductive electrochemical device and method for manufacturing the device. The device comprising a positive electrode able to reduce an oxidizing species, a negative electrode able to oxidize a reducing species, and a proton-conductive electrolyte, in contact with the positive and negative electrode. The device further comprises a layer able to diffuse protons and electrons, and forms a protective barrier against contaminants for the electrolyte. The layer is in contact with both the electrolyte and the negative electrode, and comprises a material of the type ABB?O3 or a material of the type ABO3, wherein A is an element chosen from group II of the periodic table, B is an element chosen from cerium and group IVB of the periodic table, B? is an element chosen from lanthanides or group VIIIB of the periodic table, and the layer has a porosity of less than 10% by volume.

Abstract: An electrolyte membrane including (i) a porous mat of nanofibres, wherein the nanofibres are composed of a non-ionically conducting heterocyclic-based polymer, the heterocyclic-based polymer comprising basic functional groups and being soluble in organic solvent; and (ii) an ion-conducting polymer which is a partially- or fully-fluorinated sulphonic acid polymer. The porous mat is essentially fully impregnated with ion-conducting polymer, and the thickness of the porous mat in the electrolyte membrane is distributed across at least 80% of the thickness of the electrolyte membrane. Such a membrane is of use in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell or an electrolyser.

Abstract: A proton-conductive electrochemical device. The device comprising a positive electrode able to reduce an oxidizing species, a negative electrode able to oxidize a reducing species, and a proton-conductive electrolyte, in contact with the positive electrode and the negative electrode. In addition, the device further comprises a layer able to diffuse protons and electrons, said layer forming a protective barrier against contaminants for the proton-conductive electrolyte. The layer is in contact with the proton-conductive electrolyte on the one hand and the negative electrode on the other hand. A method for manufacturing such device is also provided.

Abstract: An electrocatalyst material having improved stability to corrosion compared to existing conductive high surface area carbon and metal carbide support materials is disclosed. The electrocatalyst material comprises (i) metal carbide nanotubes and (ii) a metal or metal alloy deposited on the metal carbide nanotubes. The electrocatalyst material is suitable for oxidising hydrogen, reducing oxygen or evolving hydrogen.

Abstract: An electrolyte membrane including (i) a porous mat of nanofibres, wherein the nanofibres are composed of a non-ionically conducting heterocyclic-based polymer, the heterocyclic-based polymer comprising basic functional groups and being soluble in organic solvent; and (ii) an ion-conducting polymer which is a partially- or fully-fluorinated sulphonic acid polymer. The porous mat is essentially fully impregnated with ion-conducting polymer, and the thickness of the porous mat in the electrolyte membrane is distributed across at least 80% of the thickness of the electrolyte membrane. Such a membrane is of use in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell or an electrolyser.

Abstract: The invention relates to a monomer (6, 14) carrying an imidazole-type heterocycle (3). According to the invention, the chemical structure of said monomer (6, 14) comprises at least one unit of formula (I) wherein R1 comprises an alkenyl grouping and R2 comprises a grouping for protecting one of the nitrogen atoms of the heterocycle. The invention also relates to a monomer carrying a benzimidazole-type heterocycle, and to protected polymers obtained from said monomers, deprotected polymers produced by the protected polymers, a proton exchange membrane based on deprotected polymers, and a fuel cell provided with said membrane. Furthermore, the invention relates to methods for producing the above-mentioned monomers and polymers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a monomer (6, 14) carrying an imidazole-type heterocycle (3). According to the invention, the chemical structure of said monomer (6, 14) comprises at least one unit of formula (I) wherein R1 comprises an alkenyl grouping and R2 comprises a grouping for protecting one of the nitrogen atoms of the heterocycle. The invention also relates to a monomer carrying a benzimidazole-type heterocycle, and to protected polymers obtained from said monomers, deprotected polymers produced by the protected polymers, a proton exchange membrane based on deprotected polymers, and a fuel cell provided with said membrane. Furthermore, the invention relates to methods for producing the above-mentioned monomers and polymers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a monomer (6, 14) carrying an imidazole-type heterocycle (3). According to the invention, the chemical structure of said monomer (6, 14) comprises at least one unit of formula (I) wherein R1 comprises an alkenyl grouping and R2 comprises a grouping for protecting one of the nitrogen atoms of the heterocycle. The invention also relates to a monomer carrying a benzimidazole-type heterocycle, and to protected polymers obtained from said monomers, deprotected polymers produced by the protected polymers, a proton exchange membrane based on deprotected polymers, and a fuel cell provided with said membrane. Furthermore, the invention relates to methods for producing the above-mentioned monomers and polymers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a monomer (6, 14) carrying an imidazole-type heterocycle (3). According to the invention, the chemical structure of said monomer (6, 14) comprises at least one unit of formula (I) wherein R1 comprises an alkenyl grouping and R2 comprises a grouping for protecting one of the nitrogen atoms of the heterocycle. The invention also relates to a monomer carrying a benzimidazole-type heterocycle, and to protected polymers obtained from said monomers, deprotected polymers produced by the protected polymers, a proton exchange membrane based on deprotected polymers, and a fuel cell provided with said membrane. Furthermore, the invention relates to methods for producing the above-mentioned monomers and polymers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid material, its use and its production process. The hybrid material comprises a polymer with acid groups. The inorganic part of the said hybrid material is constituted by the combination of at least two metal oxide components, whereof at least one comprises a functional group permitting an interaction and a spatial relationship with the acid groups of the polymer.

Abstract: The invention provides composite membrane materials comprising a polymer of the state of art uniformly filled with a zirconium phosphate, preferably ?-zirconium phosphate or zirconium phosphate sulfoarylenphosphonate particels. The composite membrane materials are preferably prepared starting from a solution of a polymer of the state of art and from a colloidal dispersion of ?-zirconium phosphate or a zirconium phosphate sulfoarylenphosphonate. The colloidal particles are transferred into the solution of the polymer preferably by mixing the dispersion with the solution or by means of phase transfer. The membrane material is preferably obtained by removing the solvent by evaporation or by a suitable non-solvent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a silicon-based porous catalytic system for oligomerizing light olefins, the porous silicon-based catalytic system having an average pore diameter of between about 1 nm and about 5 nm and an acidity level of between about 150 ?mol/g and about 650 ?mol/g, and prepared from at least one hydrolysable silicon-based compound, or other source of silicon, and at least one non-ionic surface active agent. The invention also relates to a process for oligomerizing light olefins using the silicon-based porous catalytic system, and to certain silicon-based porous catalytic systems.

Abstract: A process of preparation of silicon-based multifunctional catalytic systems synthesised together with one or more surface active agents is described. Also described is a multifunctional silicon-based porous catalytic system including at least one porous catalytic support structurally including silica and at least one other metal or non-metal oxide chosen from aluminium, zirconium, and boron. The catalytic support is synthesised together with one or more surface active agents, and at least one or more catalyst chosen from among metallic elements of groups 6-10 of the periodic table of the elements. The catalytic systems are useful in hydrogenation and/or decyclisation reactions of (poly)aromatic compounds, especially for improving the quality of diesel fuels and increasing their cetane number.

Abstract: A semiconductor test device for acquiring a multiplexed clock signal from LSI output data and using the clock to test the LSI. The device includes a time interpolator 30 and registers 41a to 41n connected in series. The time interpolator has flip-flops 31a to 31n connected in parallel for inputting output data from an LSI 1 to be measured, a delay circuit 32 for successively inputting strobes delayed at a constant timing interval to the flip-flops 31 and outputting time-series level data, and an encoder 34 for inputting the time-series level data output from the flip-flops 31 and encoding it into position data indicating an edge timing. The registers 41a to 41n successively store position data from the encoder 34 and output them at a predetermined timing. The device further includes a digital filter for outputting the position data output from the registers 41 as a recovery clock.

Abstract: The invention provides composite membrane materials comprising a polymer of the state of art uniformly filled with a zirconium phosphate, preferably ?-zirconium phosphate or zirconium phosphate sulfoarylenphosphonate particels. The composite membrane materials are preferably prepared starting from a solution of a polymer of the state of art and from a colloidal dispersion of ?-zirconium phosphate or a zirconium phosphate sulfoarylenphosphonate. The colloidal particles are transferred into the solution of the polymer preferably by mixing the dispersion with the solution or by means of phase transfer. The membrane material is preferably obtained by removing the solvent by evaporation or by a suitable non-solvent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid material, its use and its production process.