Abstract: To provide a well proppant containing fluororesin-coated particles which has a sufficiently small frictional resistance of the surface, which has sufficient chemical resistance and strength, which can be produced with high productivity, of which proppant particles as a base substrate are hardly corroded, and in which the adhesion between the coating fluororesin and the proppant particles as a base substrate is high, and a method for efficiently recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation. A well proppant containing fluororesin-coated particles having at least part of the surface of proppant particles coated with a fluororesin (F) having a volume flow rate of from 0.

Abstract: A membrane/electrode assembly 10 for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, which comprises an anode 15 having an anode catalyst layer 11 containing an anode catalyst and an ion-exchange resin, a cathode 16 having a cathode catalyst layer 13 containing a cathode catalyst and an ion-exchange resin, and a polymer electrolyte membrane 17 disposed between the anode 15 and the cathode 16, wherein the anode catalyst is one having platinum or a platinum alloy supported on a carbon, and the amount of platinum or a platinum alloy supported in the anode catalyst is from 1 to 25 mass %; and the anode catalyst layer 11 contains fine particles made of at least one member selected from iridium oxide, iridium, ruthenium oxide and ruthenium, and the fine particles have a specific surface area of from 2 to 50 m2/g.

Abstract: A process comprising: providing a substrate with a catalyst layer thereon; depositing a first ionomer overcoat layer over the catalyst layer, the first ionomer overcoat layer comprising an ionomer and a first solvent; drying the first ionomer overcoat layer to provide a first electrode ionomer overcoat layer; depositing a second ionomer overcoat layer over the first electrode ionomer overcoat layer, and wherein the second ionomer overcoat layer comprises an ionomer and a second solvent.

Abstract: To provide a membrane/electrode assembly and a method for operating a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, whereby power generation will not be terminated even when the power generation is initiated in such an environment that the temperature of the membrane/electrode assembly is at most 0° C. A membrane/electrode assembly 10 for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, which comprises an anode 13 and a cathode 14 each having a catalyst layer 11 containing a proton-conductive fluoropolymer (A), and a polymer electrolyte membrane 15 containing a proton-conductive fluoropolymer (B), disposed between the anode 13 and the cathode 14, wherein each of the above proton-conductive fluoropolymer (A) and the above proton-conductive fluoropolymer (B) has an ion exchange capacity of from 1.4 to 1.8 meq/g dry resin, and each of the above proton-conductive fluoropolymer (A) and the above proton-conductive fluoropolymer (B) has a water content of at most 150 mass %.

Abstract: To provide a membrane/electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which has a high power generation performance in an environment ranging from a low humidity to a high humidity and is scarcely susceptible to deterioration in the performance of the electrode even when fuel becomes deficient.

Abstract: To provide a membrane/electrode assembly and a method for operating a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, whereby power generation will not be terminated even when the power generation is initiated in such an environment that the temperature of the membrane/electrode assembly is at most 0° C. A membrane/electrode assembly 10 for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, which comprises an anode 13 and a cathode 14 each having a catalyst layer 11 containing a proton-conductive fluoropolymer (A), and a polymer electrolyte membrane 15 containing a proton-conductive fluoropolymer (B), disposed between the anode 13 and the cathode 14, wherein each of the above proton-conductive fluoropolymer (A) and the above proton-conductive fluoropolymer (B) has an ion exchange capacity of from 1.4 to 1.8 meq/g dry resin, and each of the above proton-conductive fluoropolymer (A) and the above proton-conductive fluoropolymer (B) has a water content of at most 150 mass %.

Abstract: A process comprising: providing a substrate with a catalyst layer thereon; depositing a first ionomer overcoat layer over the catalyst layer, the first ionomer overcoat layer comprising an ionomer and a first solvent; drying the first ionomer overcoat layer to provide a first electrode ionomer overcoat layer; depositing a second ionomer overcoat layer over the first electrode ionomer overcoat layer, and wherein the second ionomer overcoat layer comprises an ionomer and a second solvent.