Abstract: An air cell includes a positive electrode layer, an electrolyte layer stacked on the positive electrode layer, a negative electrode layer stacked on the electrolyte layer and an electroconductive liquid-tight ventilation layer stacked on the positive electrode layer, the electroconductive liquid-tight ventilation layer being positioned on the opposite side of the positive electrode from the electrolyte layer. The assembled battery is provided with a plurality of the air cells described above. The assembled battery is provided with a flow path through which oxygen-containing gas flows interposed between the electrically-conductive liquid-tight ventilation layer of a first air cell and the negative electrode layer of a second air cell adjacent to the first air cell. The first air cell is electrically connected to the negative electrode layer of the second air cell via the electrically-conductive liquid-tight ventilation layer.

Abstract: An air battery includes a cathode layer and an anode layer sandwiching an electrolyte layer, and an electrically insulative outer case. The cathode layer has a cathode member, a cathode current collector and a liquid tight/gas permeable member. The cathode layer is provided with a contact member between the outer case and the cathode layer, in which the inner end thereof is in contact with the periphery of the cathode current collector, and the outer end thereof is exposed on a cathode-side surface. The outer end of the contact member protrudes outward with respect to a surface of the liquid tight/gas permeable member to an extent reaching at least a plane including an end face of the outer case. Therefore, this air battery can be directly connected to another battery in series, and is suitable for an on-vehicle power source.

Abstract: In an air battery system, a decrease in power output and an increase in inner pressure during discharge are prevented even when deposition of the reaction product increases with the discharge and the volume of the electrolytic solution increases with progress of the reaction. The air battery system includes an air battery a reservoir tank to reserve electrolytic solution to be supplied to the air battery and a reaction product sump to store reaction product produced in the air battery, the reaction product sump provided between the air battery and the reservoir tank.

Abstract: A liquid activated air battery includes: an electrode assembly that includes an air electrode and a metal anode; a battery container that is capable of holding the electrode assembly and electrolytic solution; a supply tank for the electrolytic solution to be supplied to the battery container; a drainage tank for the electrolytic solution discharged from the battery container; and pumps as an electrolytic solution flow mechanism that runs the electrolytic solution from the supply tank to the drainage tank through the battery container. The composition of the electrolytic solution supplied to the battery container is kept constant, and stable power output is ensured.

Abstract: A transition metal nitride is obtained by a nitriding treatment of a surface of a base material including a transition metal or an alloy of the transition metal, and the transition metal nitride has a crystal structure of an M4N type and a crystal structure of an ?-M2˜3N type, and is formed over a whole area of the surface of the base material and continuously in a depth direction from the surface.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid activated air battery and an assembled liquid activated air battery, which can be reduced in size, as well as a method of using the liquid activated air battery and the assembled liquid activated air battery. The liquid activated air battery includes: an electrode assembly comprising a cathode and an anode; and a space that serves as a liquid container to store a liquid component of an electrolyte of the air battery before injection and also serves as a gas flowing member through which oxygen-containing gas of an active material of the air battery flows after injection. The assembled liquid activated air battery includes a plurality of the liquid activated air battery.

Abstract: A transition metal nitride is obtained by a nitriding treatment of a surface of a base material including a transition metal or an alloy of the transition metal, and the transition metal nitride has a crystal structure of an M4N type and a crystal structure of an ?-M2˜3N type, and is formed over a whole area of the surface of the base material and continuously in a depth direction from the surface.

Abstract: A composite electrode for an electricity storage device of the present invention includes: a substrate; a whisker or a fiber which is made of at least one of a metal and a metal compound and is formed on the substrate; and a coating layer which contains an active material and is formed on at least a part of a surface of the whisker or the fiber.

Abstract: A transition metal nitride obtained by nitriding a base material including an austenitic stainless steel having a Cr concentration of 25% or more includes a first layer (first nitrided layer) formed continuously on a base layer formed by the base material, having a stacked crystal structure of a nano-level including a nitride having a cubic crystal structure of M4N type, and a nitride having a hexagonal crystal structure of M2-3N type, and a second layer (second nitrided layer) formed continuously on the first layer, including a nitride having at least one kind of crystal structure out of hexagonal crystal structures of Cr2N, CrN, and M2-3N type, and a cubic crystal structure of M4N type, and being formed as a surface-nitriding-processed portion of the base material continuously in a depth direction from a surface of the base material.

Abstract: An electrode for an electricity storage device (10) of the present invention includes a porous layer (1) having either fibers or whiskers (1a) containing tungsten oxide. A valence band photoelectron spectrum of the fibers or whiskers (1a) obtained by an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis has a peak within 1 eV from a Fermi level of the tungsten oxide.

Abstract: A composite electrode for an electricity storage device of the present invention includes: a substrate; a whisker or a fiber which is made of at least one of a metal and a metal compound and is formed on the substrate; and a coating layer which contains an active material and is formed on at least a part of a surface of the whisker or the fiber.

Abstract: A transition metal nitride obtained by nitriding a base material including an austenitic stainless steel having a Cr concentration of 25% or more includes a first layer (first nitrided layer) formed continuously on a base layer formed by the base material, having a stacked crystal structure of a nano-level including a nitride having a cubic crystal structure of M4N type, and a nitride having a hexagonal crystal structure of M2-3N type, and a second layer (second nitrided layer) formed continuously on the first layer, including a nitride having at least one kind of crystal structure out of hexagonal crystal structures of Cr2N, CrN, and M2-3N type, and a cubic crystal structure of M4N type, and being formed as a surface-nitriding-processed portion of the base material continuously in a depth direction from a surface of the base material.

Abstract: A fuel cell separator (1) of the present invention has a base material (5) formed of titanium, and a nitride compound layer (6) composed of titanium and nitrogen and provided on a surface of the base material (5). In the fuel cell separator (1), the contact resistance which occurs between a gas diffusion layer and the separator (1) is low, the corrosion resistance is excellent, and the separator (1) can be manufactured at low cost.

Abstract: A transition metal nitride is obtained by a nitriding treatment of a surface of a base material including a transition metal or an alloy of the transition metal, and the transition metal nitride has a crystal structure of an M4N type and a crystal structure of an ?-M2˜3N type, and is formed over a whole area of the surface of the base material and continuously in a depth direction from the surface.

Abstract: A transition metal nitride comprises a first layer formed of a nitride of a stainless steel containing at least Fe and Cr and a second layer formed on the first layer and having an exposed surface. The second layer is formed of another nitride having contents of components that differ from those in the first layer. The first and second layers have a composition distribution in which a Cr concentration is continuously changed from the first layer to the second layer in a thickness direction of these layers, and the second layer has a nitride deposition protruding from a base portion of an exposed surface. A fuel cell separator comprises a base layer formed of a stainless steel containing at least Fe and Cr and a nitride layer formed of a transition metal nitride as described. Methods of forming transition metal nitrides and fuel cell separators are also included, as is a fuel cell vehicle including a fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A transition metal nitride comprises a first layer formed of a nitride of a steel containing at least Fe ad Cr and second layer formed on a first layer and having an exposed surface. The transition metal nitride has a composition distribution in which Cr concentration is continuously changed from the first layer to the second layer in a thickness direction of these layers. A fuel separator comprises a base layer formed of a stainless steel containing at least Fe and Cr and a nitride layer formed of a transition metal nitride as described. Methods of forming transition metal nitrides and fuel cell separators are also included, as is a fuel cell vehicle including a fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A fuel cell separator (1) of the present invention has a base material (5) formed of titanium, and a nitride compound layer (6) composed of titanium and nitrogen and provided on a surface of the base material (5). In the fuel cell separator (1), the contact resistance which occurs between a gas diffusion layer and the separator (1) is low, the corrosion resistance is excellent, and the separator (1) can be manufactured at low cost.

Abstract: A separator for a fuel cell comprises a corrugated or undulated gas flow path portion (4) formed on central portion (2) of a clad thin plate: and a flat portion (6) formed on an outer periphery of the central portion, wherein the clad thin plate is obtained by applying rolling work on a metal plate whose surface is covered with a precious metal layer at a draft of 5% to 15% to make clad, and a limit plate thickness residual rate indicating a boundary limit in which cracking of the precious metal layer in the clad thin plate and reduction of corrosion resistance due to exposure of the metal plate are negligible is obtained in advance, wherein regarding a sectional shape in a direction orthogonal to a flow path of the gas flow path portion (4), when a plate thickness of the thinnest portion of a rib shoulder portion is represented as t2 and a plate thickness of a peripheral portion of the separator is represented as t4, a relationship of t2?t4×limit plate thickness residual rate is satisfied.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to transition metal nitrides having a chemical formula (Fe100-x-y-zCrxNiyMoz)4Nw, wherein 0.8?w?1.7, 19?x?30, 11?y?19, and 0?z?3. The disclosure also relates to fuel cell bipolar plates, fuel cells, fuel cell assemblies, and fuel cell powered vehicles including the transition metal nitride, and methods of manufacturing fuel cell bipolar plates using plasma nitriding.

Abstract: A fuel cell separator of the present invention includes: a base material which is made of transition metal or an alloy of transition metal and has a path for fuel or an oxidant; and a nitride layer which is provided from a surface of the base material towards an inside thereof, contacts a single cell of a fuel cell, and has a cubic crystal structure. The fuel cell separator has excellent corrosion resistance in a strong acid atmosphere and low contact resistance with a carbon paper that configures a gas diffusion layer.