Abstract: An electrode catalyst layer has a first surface configured to be in contact with a polymer electrolyte membrane in a membrane electrode assembly, and a second surface facing away from the first surface. The electrode catalyst layer includes a first portion including the first surface, and a second portion having a layer shape and being laminated on the first portion. The electrode catalyst layer contains a first catalyst containing platinum and a second catalyst containing transition metal oxide. The first catalyst has catalytic activity higher than that of the second catalyst. A density of the first catalyst in the electrode catalyst layer is highest in a region including the first surface in the first portion. A maximum value of the density of the first catalyst in the second portion is smaller than a minimum value of the density of the first catalyst in the first portion.

Abstract: An electrode catalyst layer, a membrane electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, which are capable of improving material transport properties and proton conductivity in the electrode catalyst layer, and which are capable of exhibiting high power generation performance over the long term and have good durability. The electrode catalyst layer for use in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and includes: a catalyst material; a conductive carrier that supports the catalyst material; a polymer electrolyte; and a fibrous material, wherein the fibrous material contains a material having nitrogen atoms, and the content of the fibrous material in the electrode catalyst layer is 1 wt % or more and less than 12 wt %.

Abstract: An object is to provide an electrode catalyst layer, a membrane electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that can suppress decrease in durability of the membrane electrode assembly and decrease in power generation performance of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell by suppressing crack generation in the electrode catalyst layer. An electrode catalyst layer according to one aspect of the present invention is an electrode catalyst layer including at least: a catalytic substance; aggregates of polymer electrolytes; and polymer electrolyte fibers. In the electrode catalyst layer, an amount of phosphorus and an amount of platinum defined via elemental analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) satisfy a following equation (1). 0 < P/Pt? 3.0 ...

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes a polyelectrolyte membrane having a first surface and a second surface facing away from the first surface; a fuel-electrode-side electrocatalyst layer bonded to the first surface and containing a first catalytic material, a first electrically conductive carrier, and a first polyelectrolyte, the first electrically conductive carrier carrying the first catalytic material; and an oxygen-electrode-side electrocatalyst layer bonded to the second surface and containing a second catalytic material, a second electrically conductive carrier, a second polyelectrolyte, and a fibrous material, the second electrically conductive carrier carrying the second catalytic material. The membrane electrode assembly contains voids, the voids including pores each having a size in a range of 3 nm or more and 5.5 ?m or less.

Abstract: To provide an electrode catalyst layer, a membrane electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell capable of improving the mass transport properties and proton conduction properties in the electrode catalyst layer and exhibiting high power generation performance for a longer time. An electrode catalyst layer according to an embodiment of the present invention is an electrode catalyst layer configured to be bonded to a polymer electrolyte membrane for use in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the electrode catalyst layer including: a catalytic substance; a conductive carrier supporting the catalytic substance; a polymer electrolyte; and one or more types of fibers containing at least a polymer fiber, wherein, among the fibers, the number of fibers having an axis inclination ? of 0°<?<45° relative to a bonding surface between the polymer electrolyte membrane and the electrode catalyst layer is more than 50% of the total number of the contained fibers.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fibrous rutile-type oxide that contains an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, and a transition metal atom. The transition metal atom is at least one atom selected from the group consisting of a titanium atom, a tantalum atom, a niobium atom, and a zirconium atom. The rutile-type oxide is represented by the chemical formula MOxNy, where M represents the transition metal atom. In the chemical formula, x satisfies x = 2 - (y +j) (j ? 0).

Abstract: Provided are an electrode catalyst layer, a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, having sufficient drainage property and gas diffusibility with high power generation performance over a long term. An electrode catalyst layer (10) bonded to a surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane (11) includes at least a catalyst substance (12), a conductive carrier (13), a polymer electrolyte (14) and fibrous substances (15). The number of the fibrous substances (15) in which inclination ? of axes with respect to a surface of the electrode catalyst layer (10) bonded to the surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane (11) is 0°??<45°, among the fibrous substances (15), is greater than 50% of the total number of the fibrous substances (15) contained.

Abstract: A catalyst layer comprising an interface to a polyelectrolyte membrane, the catalyst layer includes a layer forming material, which includes a catalytic substance, a conductive carrier which supports the catalytic substance, a polyelectrolyte, and a fibrous material, and a plurality of pores which contain no layer forming material. A pore area ratio which is a total area ratio of the plurality of pores to an area of a cross-section orthogonal to the interface is 25.0% or more and 35.0% or less in a cross-sectional image captured by a scanning electron microscope.

Abstract: Provided is a catalyst for fuel cells including an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, a pentavalent phosphorus atom, and a transition metal atom, in which when the transition metal atom is represented by M, the catalyst for fuel cells is represented by a chemical formula MOxNyPz, and the transition metal atom is at least one selected from the group consisting of a titanium atom, a tantalum atom, a niobium atom, and a zirconium atom.

Abstract: A catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells that improves drainage or gas diffusion, reduces or prevents the occurrence of cracking in a catalyst layer, enhances catalyst utilization efficiency, exerts high output power and high energy conversion efficiency, and has high durability, and also provides a membrane-electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell using the catalyst layer. The catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells contains a catalyst, carbon particles, a polymer electrolyte, and a fibrous material. In the catalyst layer, the carbon particles carry the catalyst1. The catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells has voids. The percentage of frequencies of the voids having a cross-sectional area of 10,000 nm2 or more is 13% or more and 20% or less among the voids observed in a thickness-direction cross section of the catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells perpendicular to the surface thereof.

Abstract: Provided is a catalyst for fuel cells including an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, a pentavalent phosphorus atom, and a transition metal atom, in which when the transition metal atom is represented by M, the catalyst for fuel cells is represented by a chemical formula MOxNyPz, and the transition metal atom is at least one selected from the group consisting of a titanium atom, a tantalum atom, a niobium atom, and a zirconium atom.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes a polyelectrolyte membrane having a first surface and a second surface facing away from the first surface; a fuel-electrode-side electrocatalyst layer bonded to the first surface and containing a first catalytic material, a first electrically conductive carrier, and a first polyelectrolyte, the first electrically conductive carrier carrying the first catalytic material; and an oxygen-electrode-side electrocatalyst layer bonded to the second surface and containing a second catalytic material, a second electrically conductive carrier, a second polyelectrolyte, and a fibrous material, the second electrically conductive carrier carrying the second catalytic material. The membrane electrode assembly contains voids, the voids including pores each having a size in a range of 3 nm or more and 5.5 ?m or less.

Abstract: A catalyst layer comprising an interface to a polyelectrolyte membrane, the catalyst layer includes a layer forming material, which includes a catalytic substance, a conductive carrier which supports the catalytic substance, a polyelectrolyte, and a fibrous material, and a plurality of pores which contain no layer forming material. A pore area ratio which is a total area ratio of the plurality of pores to an area of a cross-section orthogonal to the interface is 25.0% or more and 35.0% or less in a cross-sectional image captured by a scanning electron microscope.

Abstract: Provided are an electrode catalyst layer, a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, having sufficient drainage property and gas diffusibility with high power generation performance over a long term. An electrode catalyst layer (10) bonded to a surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane (11) includes at least a catalyst substance (12), a conductive carrier (13), a polymer electrolyte (14) and fibrous substances (15). The number of the fibrous substances (15) in which inclination ? of axes with respect to a surface of the electrode catalyst layer (10) bonded to the surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane (11) is 0° ??<45°, among the fibrous substances (15), is greater than 50% of the total number of the fibrous substances (15) contained.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having higher power-generating characteristics in a high-temperature, low-humidity environment, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell using the same. In this membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell provided with electrode catalyst layers, which include at least a proton-exchange polymer and carbon-supported catalyst, on both surfaces of a polymer electrolyte membrane, the resistance (Ri) of the proton-exchange polymer of the electrode catalyst layers is at least about 2 ?cm2 but not more than about 5 ?cm2 under measurement conditions of 20% relative humidity and an AC impedance of 10 kHz to 100 kHz.

Abstract: Coating of catalyst ink is applied to a surface of a transfer roll to form a catalyst layer. The catalyst layer formed on the transfer roll is pressed on an excess coating-solution removing roll having a recessed portion while the catalyst layer is in semi-dry state to transfer and remove an excess catalyst layer from the transfer roll to a protruded portion of the excess coating-solution removing roll. The recessed portion has a same shape or a substantially same shape as a target pattern. A semi-dry catalyst layer having a target shape and remaining on the transfer roll is pressed on a polymer electrolyte membrane to bring the semi-dry catalyst layer into intimate contact with a surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane. The polymer electrolyte membrane having each side on which the semi-dry catalyst layer has been formed is dried.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pattern formation substrate provided with a transparent substrate, a partition pattern formed on the transparent substrate in an approximately orthogonal grid shape, and a coloring pattern of plural colors, provided in an opening partitioned off with the partition pattern. The coloring pattern is formed in an approximately stripe shape in each of the colors, the partition pattern is composed of an X-direction partition pattern provided in an approximately orthogonal direction to a longitudinal direction of the stripe of the coloring pattern and a Y-direction partition pattern provided in an approximately parallel direction to the longitudinal direction of the stripe of the coloring pattern, and an average film thickness of the X-direction partition pattern is smaller than that of the Y-direction partition pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pattern formation substrate provided with a transparent substrate, a partition pattern formed on the transparent substrate in an approximately orthogonal grid shape, and a coloring pattern of plural colors, provided in an opening partitioned off with the partition pattern. The coloring pattern is formed in an approximately stripe shape in each of the colors, the partition pattern is composed of an X-direction partition pattern provided in an approximately orthogonal direction to a longitudinal direction of the stripe of the coloring pattern and a Y-direction partition pattern provided in an approximately parallel direction to the longitudinal direction of the stripe of the coloring pattern, and an average film thickness of the X-direction partition pattern is smaller than that of the Y-direction partition pattern.