Abstract: A porous supporting carbon body of a gas diffusion layer is provided with a larger number of smaller pores at its catalyst layer side and a smaller number of larger pores at the other side, particularly with an appropriate distribution of finer mesh at its catalyst layer side and coarser mesh at the other side. As a result, a high performance polymer electrolyte fuel cell is obtained in which water generated at the catalyst layer is quickly sucked out to the gas diffusion layer, and is evaporated at the gas diffusion layer to be effectively exhausted to outside the fuel cell, so that excessive water can be prevented from retaining in the gas diffusion electrode, with the polymer electrolyte membrane being maintained at an appropriately wet condition.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrode for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising a high-performance electrode catalyst particle which is sufficiently coated with a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte and has a water repellent material suitably supplied thereto for water management. The method of producing the electrode in accordance with the present invention comprises the steps of spraying a solution or dispersion of a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte into a dry atmosphere in which a catalyst particle comprising an electrically conductive carbon powder carrying a platinum group metal catalyst is flowing, to coat the catalyst particle with the polymer electrolyte, and then spraying a solution or dispersion of a water repellent material to the catalyst particle to attach the water repellent material to the catalyst particle.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack that includes a cell laminate having a plurality of unit cells, which are laid one upon another and each of which includes a polymer electrolyte membrane, a pair of electrodes that are arranged across the polymer electrolyte membrane and respectively have a catalytic reaction layer, a separator having means for feeding a supply of fuel gas containing hydrogen gas to one of the electrodes, and another separator having means for feeding a supply of oxidant gas to the other of the electrodes. In the polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack, a sealing portion is disposed at least in the vicinity of each electrode. The polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack of the present invention has excellent durability and productivity. Gasket sealing portions, a sealing portion for cooling water, and sealing portions for water and gas in an internal humidifying unit are constituted by a polymer compound that has polyisobutylene as the backbone structure.

Abstract: A data processing program, a computer readable recording medium recorded with the data processing program and a data processing apparatus, capable of facilitating the modification of process paths and improving the processing power by dynamically modifying the process paths for various modules at the need arises.

Abstract: For the purpose of efficiently producing an electrolyte membrane electrode assembly which is excellent in the bond strength between layers and the like, a method for producing an electrolyte membrane electrode assembly is provided which conducts either sequentially or simultaneously the step of injecting an electrolyte ink to form an electrolyte layer and the step of injecting a catalyst layer ink to form a catalyst layer on the electrolyte layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having an increased reaction area by forming a gas channel, a proton channel and an electron channel very close to each other inside a catalyst layer. This polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte membrane; and a pair of electrodes having catalyst layers sandwiching the hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte membrane between them and gas diffusion layers in contact with the catalyst layers, in which the catalyst layer of at least one of the electrodes comprises carbon particles supporting a noble metal catalyst, and the carbon particles include at least two kinds of carbon particles adsorbing a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte in mutually different dispersed states.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas-permeable hollow fiber membrane having an inner diameter of 50 to 500 &mgr;m and a membrane thickness of 10 to 150 &mgr;m, which is preferably a composite hollow fiber membrane having a three-layer structure consisting of a nonporous layer having porous layers disposed on both sides thereof. Dissolved gases present in an ink can be removed by passing the ink through the bores of hollow fibers comprising such a hollow fiber membrane, and evacuating the outer surface side of the hollow fibers. This method makes it possible not only to degas inks with a slight pressure loss, but also to degas inks stably even if pressure changes occur during degassing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas-permeable hollow fiber membrane having an inner diameter of 50 to 500 &mgr;m and a membrane thickness of 10 to 150 &mgr;m, which is, preferably a composite hollow fiber membrane having a three-layer structure consisting of a nonporous layer having porous layers disposed on both sides thereof. Dissolved gases present in an ink can be removed by passing the ink through the bores of hollow fibers comprising such a hollow fiber membrane, and evacuating the outer surface side of the hollow fibers. This method makes it possible not only to degas inks with a slight pressure loss, but also to degas inks stably even if pressure changes occur during degassing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas-permeable hollow fiber membrane having an inner diameter of 50 to 500 &mgr;m and a membrane thickness of 10 to 150 &mgr;m, which is preferably a composite hollow fiber membrane having a three-layer structure consisting of a nonporous layer having porous layers disposed on both sides thereof. Dissolved gases present in an ink can be removed by passing the ink through the bores of hollow fibers comprising such a hollow fiber membrane, and evacuating the outer surface side of the hollow fibers. This method makes it possible not only to degas inks with a slight pressure loss, but also to degas inks stably even if pressure changes occur during degassing.

Abstract: In order to provide a fuel cell with high discharge property by a production step that involves reduced variation in the coating amount with little occurrence of coating failure, a fuel cell is provided, which comprises: a hydrogen ion-conductive polymer electrolyte membrane; a pair of electrodes, each formed by laminating a catalyst layer in contact with the polymer electrolyte membrane and a gas diffusion layer in contact with the catalyst layer; and a pair of conductive separators, one of which having a gas flow path for supplying and discharging an oxidant gas to and from one of the electrodes and the other having a gas flow path for supplying and discharging a fuel gas to and from the other of the electrodes, wherein the gas diffusion layer in at least one of the electrodes contains a nonfibrous water-repellent polymer.

Abstract: A method for producing a membrane electrode assembly 1 for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the membrane electrode assembly 1 including a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 2 comprising an ion exchange membrane, a first electrode 3 having a first catalyst layer 31, and a second electrode 4 having a second catalyst layer 41,the first electrode 3 and the second electrode 4 being disposed so as to be opposed to each other via the ion exchange membrane, the method including: applying a coating solution containing a catalyst onto a base film 101 to form a first catalyst layer 31; applying a coating solution containing an ion exchange resin dissolved or dispersed in a liquid onto the first catalyst layer 31 to form an ion exchange membrane; then applying a coating solution containing a catalyst onto the ion exchange membrane to form a second catalyst layer 41; and finally, peeling off the base film 101 from a resulting laminate.

Abstract: A method of producing an electrode having a high performance in a simple and convenient manner which does not require the use of any of the medium, surfactant and pore-producing agent is disclosed. In the disclosed method, a layer including a catalyst powder is formed on a surface of a polymer electrolyte film or a porous conductive electrode substrate by supplying an electrostatically-charged catalyst powder to the polymer electrolyte film or the porous conductive electrode substrate. Alternatively, a layer including a catalyst powder is formed on a surface of a polymer electrolyte film or a porous conductive electrode substrate by spraying the catalyst powder on the surface of the polymer electrolyte film or the porous conductive electrode substrate together with a carrier gas, thereby to cause the catalyst powder to adhere to the surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas-permeable hollow fiber membrane having an inner diameter of 50 to 500 &mgr;m, which is preferably a composite hollow fiber membrane having a three-layer structure consisting of a nonporous layer having porous layers disposed on both sides thereof. This membrane can be used to remove dissolved gases present in an ink.

Abstract: In a polymer electrolyte membrane type fuel cell employing a high polymer ion exchange membrane as an electrolyte, a fuel cells stack is produced at a low cost by easily constituting flow passages for a fuel gas, an oxidizing agent gas and a cooling water which have been conventionally constituted by a cutting process being hard to process and hard to reduce a cost. The fuel gas passage, the oxidizing agent gas flow passage and the cooling water flow passage are constructed by a combination of a diffuser constituted by a conductive porous body or a corrugated plate and an elastic gasket, whereby a cutting process is not required, and a number of parts can be reduced and an operating performance can be improved by integrally forming the gasket with the separator, so that a cost can be reduced.

Abstract: A compact solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell having a simplified structure of a high mechanical strength and an improved gas-sealing property is disclosed. In the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell of the present invention, gas-tight electrically insulating layers are provided on the flanks or the insides of the module of the above-mentioned laminated unit cells, thereby to give a gas-tightness between said electrode and separator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack that includes an inlet manifold that distributes supplies of the gaseous fuel, the oxidant gas, and cooling water in a sequence of lamination from a unit cell on one end of the cell laminate to a unit cell on the other end of the cell laminate and an outlet manifold that discharges exhausts of the gaseous fuel, the oxidant gas, and the cooling water in an inverted sequence of lamination from the unit cell on the other end of the cell laminate to the unit cell on the one end of the cell laminate. This configuration actualizes a small-sized, compact fuel cell stack.

Abstract: An actuator used for an automatic cruising control device and possible to be assembled very easily, which comprises an electric motor, reduction gear, an electromagnetic clutch provided with a clutch yoke and a bobbin formed with a coil, an output pulley to be connected to a throttle valve of the engine of the motor vehicle through a throttle cable, and the clutch yoke and the bobbin are provided with coupling means composed of, for example, a hook formed to the bobbin, a hook-insertion hole formed in the clutch yoke and a hook-engaging part formed in the vicinity of the hook-insertion hole of the clutch yoke. The bobbin is easily fastened to the clutch yoke through the coupling means by snap action.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell having a large economical advantage uses a gasket which includes an elastomer layer that is inexpensive, highly resistant to chemicals, particularly to acids, and exhibits a high sealability. The elastomer layer is provided with an adhesive layer, and the gasket is both easy to position and easy to assemble. The fuel cell includes unit cells each including a positive electrode, an electrolyte plate, and a negative electrode, and gaskets each arranged at the circumferential part of the unit cell alternately stacked via a separator placed therebetween. The gasket includes an elastomer layer and an adhesive layer, with the elastomer layer being adhered to at least one side of the separator via the adhesive layer.

Abstract: The invention provides a fuel cell system that is free from troubles due to contaminant ions by controlling the concentration of contaminant ions in cooling water. The fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell stack and a means for controlling the cell temperature by circulating a liquid coolant in the fuel cell stack or bringing it in contact with the fuel cell stack, the fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of unit cells that are laid one upon another, each of the unit cells comprising a hydrogen ion-conductive electrolyte membrane, a pair of gas diffusion electrodes which sandwich the electrolyte membrane, an anode-side conductive separator plate having a gas flow path for supplying a fuel gas to one of the electrodes, and a cathode-side conductive separator plate having a gas flow path for supplying an oxidant gas to the other of the electrodes, wherein a material adsorbing or absorbing ions is provided on a portion of the fuel cell system to come in contact with the liquid coolant.

Abstract: A measuring method for determining the specific surface area available for reaction of a noble metal catalyst of an electrode for use in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The method includes measuring the total specific surface area of the noble metal catalyst and the specific surface area of the noble metal catalyst mixed with a polymer electrolyte by detecting the adsorption amounts of carbon monoxide upon exposure to carbon monoxide after reduction in hydrogen, and subtracting the latter from the former. Also provided is an electrode material for use in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell having excellent polarization characteristics by controlling the utilization of a noble metal catalyst determined from the total specific surface area and specific surface area available for reaction of the noble metal catalyst.