Abstract: A fuel cell includes an electrode assembly having an electrolyte between an anode and a cathode for generating an electric current and byproduct water. A porous plate is located adjacent to the electrode and includes reactant gas channels for delivering a reactant gas to the electrode assembly. A separator plate is located adjacent the porous plate such that the porous plate is between the electrode assembly and the separator plate. The separator plate includes a reactant gas inlet manifold and a reactant gas outlet manifold in fluid connection with the reactant gas channels, and a purge manifold in fluid connection with the porous plate such that limiting flow of the reactant gas from the reactant gas outlet manifold and opening the purge manifold under a pressure of the reactant gas in the reactant gas channels drives the byproduct water toward the purge manifold for removal from the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes an electrode assembly having an electrolyte between an anode and a cathode for generating an electric current and byproduct water. A porous plate is located adjacent to the electrode and includes reactant gas channels for delivering a reactant gas to the electrode assembly. A separator plate is located adjacent the porous plate such that the porous plate is between the electrode assembly and the separator plate. The separator plate includes a reactant gas inlet manifold and a reactant gas outlet manifold in fluid connection with the reactant gas channels, and a purge manifold in fluid connection with the porous plate such that limiting flow of the reactant gas from the reactant gas outlet manifold and opening the purge manifold under a pressure of the reactant gas in the reactant gas channels drives the byproduct water toward the purge manifold for removal from the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes an electrode assembly having an electrolyte between an anode and a cathode for generating an electric current and byproduct water. A porous plate is located adjacent to the electrode and includes reactant gas channels for delivering a reactant gas to the electrode assembly. A separator plate is located adjacent the porous plate such that the porous plate is between the electrode assembly and the separator plate. The separator plate includes a reactant gas inlet manifold and a reactant gas outlet manifold in fluid connection with the reactant gas channels, and a purge manifold in fluid connection with the porous plate such that limiting flow of the reactant gas from the reactant gas outlet manifold and opening the purge manifold under a pressure of the reactant gas in the reactant gas channels drives the byproduct water toward the purge manifold for removal from the fuel cell.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a high-performance electrode for fuel cells. Disclosed is an electrode for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, comprising a polymer electrolyte material and a metal catalyst carried on carbon, wherein the polymer electrolyte material is an electrolyte material represented by the following general formula: and wherein, in a graph showing a relationship between a scattering vector magnitude and a scattering intensity, both of which are obtained by measuring the electrode in an air atmosphere by a smaller-angle neutron scattering method, the electrode has such a hydrophilic domain dispersibility that the maximum value of ratios of scattering intensities to baseline intensities for all ion peaks is in a range of more than 1.00 to 1.42.

Abstract: A catalyst ink used for production of electrodes of a fuel cell includes: catalyst-carrying particles that are particles with a catalyst carried thereon; an ionomer having proton conductivity; and a dispersion solvent in which the catalyst-carrying particles and the ionomer are dispersed. An adsorption amount of the ionomer per unit specific surface area of the catalyst-carrying particles is 0.1 (mg/m2) or greater.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cell modules. Each of the fuel cell modules has a first membrane electrode assembly and a second membrane electrode assembly respectively having an electrolyte membrane and being arranged, such that respective first electrodes are opposed to each other. The fuel cell module also has a first reactive gas flow path arranged to supply a first reactive gas to the first electrodes included in the first membrane electrode assembly and the second membrane electrode assembly, a second reactive gas flow path arranged to supply a second reactive gas to the second electrodes included in the first membrane electrode assembly and the second membrane electrode assembly, and a coolant flow path arranged to cool down the second electrodes included in the first membrane electrode assembly and the second membrane electrode assembly.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material for use in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell comprises a powdery metal oxide (LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiMn2O4 or the like). When the positive electrode active material is classified with a classification precision index ? of 0.7 or greater so as to obtain a coarse powder having a classification ratio in a range of 0.1% to 5%, a ratio (B/A) of the content (B) of an impurity metal element in the coarse powder obtained by the classification to the content (A) of the impurity metal element in the powder before the classification is 1.5 or less. The contents of the impurity metal elements are compared with respect to Ca, Mn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn and the like (exclusive of the metal element constituting the powdery metal oxide). The positive electrode active material for a secondary cell serves to improve cell performance capabilities and production yields.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), at least one separator plate disposed on a first side of the MEA, and at least one separator plate disposed on a second side of the MEA. The separator plate on the first side of the MEA may form a first group of channels for conducting a first reactant. The separator plate disposed on the second side of the MEA may form a second group of channels for conducting a second reactant. The first group of channels include a first set and a second set of channels alternatively positioned. Each of the first set of channels is positioned adjacent to a channel of the second set. Each of the two sets of channels includes an input controlled by an input valve and an output controlled by an output valve.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cell modules. Each of the fuel cell modules has a first membrane electrode assembly and a second membrane electrode assembly respectively having an electrolyte membrane and being arranged, such that respective first electrodes are opposed to each other. The fuel cell module also has a first reactive gas flow path arranged to supply a first reactive gas to the first electrodes included in the first membrane electrode assembly and the second membrane electrode assembly, a second reactive gas flow path arranged to supply a second reactive gas to the second electrodes included in the first membrane electrode assembly and the second membrane electrode assembly, and a coolant flow path arranged to cool down the second electrodes included in the first membrane electrode assembly and the second membrane electrode assembly.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes an electrode assembly having an electrolyte between an anode and a cathode for generating an electric current and byproduct water. A porous plate is located adjacent to the electrode and includes reactant gas channels for delivering a reactant gas to the electrode assembly. A separator plate is located adjacent the porous plate such that the porous plate is between the electrode assembly and the separator plate. The separator plate includes a reactant gas inlet manifold and a reactant gas outlet manifold in fluid connection with the reactant gas channels, and a purge manifold in fluid connection with the porous plate such that limiting flow of the reactant gas from the reactant gas outlet manifold and opening the purge manifold under a pressure of the reactant gas in the reactant gas channels drives the byproduct water toward the purge manifold for removal from the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), at least one separator plate disposed on a first side of the MEA, and at least one separator plate disposed on a second side of the MEA. The separator plate on the first side of the MEA may form a first group of channels for conducting a first reactant. The separator plate disposed on the second side of the MEA may form a second group of channels for conducting a second reactant. The first group of channels include a first set and a second set of channels alternatively positioned. Each of the first set of channels is positioned adjacent to a channel of the second set. Each of the two sets of channels includes an input controlled by an input valve and an output controlled by an output valve.

Abstract: An inspecting apparatus of a microstructure having a movable section 16a with its both sides supported includes a chuck top 9 for holding a wafer 8 in which the microstructure is formed so as to make a main surface of the wafer 8 into a convexly or concavely curved shape having a nearly uniform curvature radius. The apparatus includes a shape changing unit for changing the curvature radius of the shape of the main surface of the wafer 8. The shape changing unit is a temperature controlling unit for changing a shape of a top surface of a chuck top 9, on which the substrate is mounted, according to a temperature. A transfer tray whose top surface, on which the wafer 8 is mounted, formed into a convexly or concavely curved shape may be interposed between the wafer 8 and the chuck top 9 whose top surface is flat.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material for use in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell comprises a powdery metal oxide (LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiMn2O4 or the like). When the positive electrode active material is classified with a classification precision index ? of 0.7 or greater so as to obtain a coarse powder having a classification ratio in a range of 0.1% to 5%, a ratio (B/A) of the content (B) of an impurity metal element in the coarse powder obtained by the classification to the content (A) of the impurity metal element in the powder before the classification is 1.5 or less. The contents of the impurity metal elements are compared with respect to Ca, Mn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn and the like (exclusive of the metal element constituting the powdery metal oxide). The positive electrode active material for a secondary cell serves to improve cell performance capabilities and production yields.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material for use in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell comprises a powdery metal oxide (LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiMn2O4 or the like). When the positive electrode active material is classified with a classification precision index &kgr; of 0.7 or greater so as to obtain a coarse powder having a classification ratio in a range of 0.1% to 5%, a ratio (B/A) of the content (B) of an impurity metal element in the coarse powder obtained by the classification to the content (A) of the impurity metal element in the powder before the classification is 1.5 or less. The contents of the impurity metal elements are compared with respect to Ca, Mn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn and the like (exclusive of the metal element constituting the powdery metal oxide). The positive electrode active material for a secondary cell serves to improve cell performance capabilities and production yields.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positive electrode active material comprising: a positive electrode active material body; and at least one of oxide particles and carbon particles each having an average diameter of 1 &mgr;m or less; wherein at least one of oxide particles and carbon particles are adhered to a surface of the positive electrode active material body. I is preferable that a mass of the oxide particles adhered to the positive electrode material body is 0.001-2% of a mass of the positive electrode active material body. According to the above structure, there can be provided a positive electrode active material and non-aqueous secondary battery using the same capable of increasing a molding density (packing density) of the active material in a positive electrode, and capable of improving discharging rate characteristic of the battery by lowering an impedance of the electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positive electrode active material comprising: a positive electrode active material body; and at least one of oxide particles and carbon particles each having an average diameter of 1 &mgr;m or less; wherein at least one of oxide particles and carbon particles are adhered to a surface of the positive electrode active material body. I is preferable that a mass of the oxide particles adhered to the positive electrode material body is 0.001-2% of a mass of the positive electrode active material body. According to the above structure, there can be provided a positive electrode active material and non-aqueous secondary battery using the same capable of increasing a molding density (packing density) of the active material in a positive electrode, and capable of improving discharging rate characteristic of the battery by lowering an impedance of the electrode.