Abstract: The present invention provides a selective area atomic layer deposition apparatus that deposits an atomic layer thin film on a substrate by supplying a source gas and a purge gas, the apparatus comprising: a reaction chamber; a stage disposed within the reaction chamber, a substrate being disposed on one surface of the stage; a combination nozzle unit disposed above the stage to move relative to the stage; and a gas supply unit that supplies a precursor and an oxidant for forming an atomic layer thin film on the substrate, wherein the combination nozzle unit has a laser core that applies a laser beam to selectively locally heat one surface of the substrate, and the gas supply unit is disposed such that at least a part thereof is adjacent to the laser core, and supplies the precursor and the oxidant to the area on the surface of the substrate that is selectively locally heated by the laser core, wherein the precursor is adsorbed onto the heated area of the substrate, and the oxidant removes ligands of the prec

Abstract: A cathode unit for a ceramic fuel cell includes a silver (Ag) support and an ion conductive solid membrane. The silver (Ag) support is formed on a pellet. The ion conductive solid membrane is formed to partially cover a surface of the silver support and includes ion conductive particles electrically connected to each other and having ion conductivity.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a layer-structured catalysts at the electrode/electrolyte interface of a fuel cell is provided. The method includes providing a substrate, depositing an electrolyte layer on the substrate, depositing a catalyst bonding layer to the electrolyte layer, depositing a catalyst layer to the catalyst bonding layer, and depositing a microstructure stabilizing layer to the catalyst layer, where the bonding layer improves adhesion of the catalyst onto the electrolyte. The catalyst and a current collector is a porous catalyst and a fully dense current collector, or a fully dense catalyst and a fully dense current collector structure layer. A nano-island catalyst and current collector structure layer is deposited over the catalyst and current collector or over the bonding layer, which is deposited over the electrolyte layer. The fuel cell can be hydrogen-fueled solid oxide, solid oxide with hydrocarbons, solid sensor, solid acid, polymer electrolyte or direct methanol.

Abstract: A proton-conducting solid oxide electrolyte membrane includes a nanoporous layer including a plurality of nanopores that penetrate from one surface to the other, and at least one proton conducting layer that fills the plurality of nanopores to have an interface in a direction perpendicular to either surface of the nanoporous layer.

Abstract: A proton conducting electrolyte membrane comprising a ceramic electrolyte layer including an inorganic proton conductor and a ceramic protective layer formed on at least one surface of the ceramic electrolyte layer and having proton conductivity; a membrane electrode assembly including the proton conducting electrolyte membrane; and a proton conducting ceramic fuel cell including the membrane electrode assembly. In the proton conducting electrolyte membrane, the ceramic protective layer may have an improved chemical bond with the ceramic electrolyte layer compared with a Pd metal protective layer, such that interlayer delamination may be lessened. Also, compared with a Pd metal protective layer, the ceramic protective layer is more appropriate for ceramic electrolytes such as BYZ and BYC that transmit protons or simultaneously transmit protons and oxygen ions used in a fuel cell operating at a temperature range of about 200 to about 500° C., for example, about 250 to about 500° C.

Abstract: A reduced cost solid oxide fuel cell having enhanced surface exchange rates and diffusivity of oxide ions is provided. The invention cell includes a first porous electrode and a second porous electrode, where the porous electrodes have a layer of electronically conductive porous non-precious metal, and the porous non-precious metal layer is a gas diffusion layer. The porous electrodes further include at least one atomic layer of catalytic metal deposited on the non-precious metal layer, and an electrolyte layer disposed between the first porous electrode and the second porous electrode. The electrolyte layer includes a first dense ion-conductive doped oxide film layer, and a second dense ion-conductive doped oxide film layer deposited on the first doped oxide film layer, where the catalytic metal layer on the conductive porous non-metal layer enhances surface exchange rates and diffusivity of the oxide ions, thus the material costs of the fuel cell are reduced.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell with an electrolyte membrane having one or more layers with interfaces perpendicular to the surfaces of the membrane is provided. The layers can be deposited on vertical walls of holes in a nanoporous membrane until the layers fully fill the holes, thereby forming superlattices in the holes. The final shape of the superlattices in this example will be concentric, laminating layers as seen in a top view looking down on the membrane. According to one aspect, conventional electrodes can be deposited on both sides of the membrane for current collection and surface charge transfer reactions.

Abstract: A direct methanol fuel cell is described. The DMFC uses a solid electrolyte that prevents methanol crossover. Optional chemical barriers may be employed to prevent CO2 contamination of the electrolyte.

Abstract: The present invention provides solid oxide fuel cell that includes an electrolyte membrane, a first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer, where the electrolyte membrane is disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The electrolyte membrane includes a solid electrolyte structure having at least two solid electrolyte nanoscopic closed-end tubes, where an open-ended base of each solid electrolyte nanoscopic closed-end tube is connected by a solid electrolyte layer.

Abstract: Provided are a method of preparing a fuel cell and a membrane electrode assembly prepared by the method. The method includes preparing a substrate, forming a buffer layer having a single crystalline structure on the substrate, forming a proton conducting solid perovskite electrolyte membrane on the buffer layer, forming a first electrode on one surface of the proton conducting solid perovskite electrolyte membrane, etching the substrate, and forming a second electrode on the opposite surface of the one surface of the electrolyte membrane. Thus, the method of preparing a fuel cell can improve ion conductivity of an electrolyte membrane at a low temperature and a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell prepared by the method can improve ion conductivity at a low temperature.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a layer-structured catalysts at the electrode/electrolyte interface of a fuel cell is provided. The method includes providing a substrate, depositing an electrolyte layer on the substrate, depositing a catalyst bonding layer to the electrolyte layer, depositing a catalyst layer to the catalyst bonding layer, and depositing a microstructure stabilizing layer to the catalyst layer, where the bonding layer improves adhesion of the catalyst onto the electrolyte. The catalyst and a current collector is a porous catalyst and a fully dense current collector, or a fully dense catalyst and a fully dense current collector structure layer. A nano-island catalyst and current collector structure layer is deposited over the catalyst and current collector or over the bonding layer, which is deposited over the electrolyte layer. The fuel cell can be hydrogen-fueled solid oxide, solid oxide with hydrocarbons, solid sensor, solid acid, polymer electrolyte or direct methanol.

Abstract: Provided are a method of preparing a fuel cell and a membrane electrode assembly prepared by the method. The method includes preparing a substrate, forming a buffer layer having a single crystalline structure on the substrate, forming a proton conducting solid perovskite electrolyte membrane on the buffer layer, forming a first electrode on one surface of the proton conducting solid perovskite electrolyte membrane, etching the substrate, and forming a second electrode on the opposite surface of the one surface of the electrolyte membrane. Thus, the method of preparing a fuel cell can improve ion conductivity of an electrolyte membrane at a low temperature and a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell prepared by the method can improve ion conductivity at a low temperature.

Abstract: A reduced cost solid oxide fuel cell having enhanced surface exchange rates and diffusivity of oxide ions is provided. The invention cell includes a first porous electrode and a second porous electrode, where the porous electrodes have a layer of electronically conductive porous non-precious metal, and the porous non-precious metal layer is a gas diffusion layer. The porous electrodes further include at least one atomic layer of catalytic metal deposited on the non-precious metal layer, and an electrolyte layer disposed between the first porous electrode and the second porous electrode. The electrolyte layer includes a first dense ion-conductive doped oxide film layer, and a second dense ion-conductive doped oxide film layer deposited on the first doped oxide film layer, where the catalytic metal layer on the conductive porous non-metal layer enhances surface exchange rates and diffusivity of the oxide ions, thus the material costs of the fuel cell are reduced.