Abstract: An electrode catalyst layer for fuel cells capable of effectively preventing reduction of cell voltage in a high current density region. The electrode catalyst layer contains a catalyst-on-support composed of a support made of a conductive inorganic oxide having a catalyst supported thereon and a hydrophilic material. The hydrophilic material is an agglomerate including hydrophilic conductive particles. The content of the hydrophilic material in the catalyst layer is 2 mass % or higher and lower than 20 mass % relative to the sum of the support and the hydrophilic material. The ratio of the particle size d1 of the hydrophilic particles to the particle size D of the catalyst-on-support is 0.5 to 3.0. The ratio of the particle size d2 of the hydrophilic material to the thickness T of the catalyst layer is 0.1 to 1.2.

Abstract: An electrode mixture in which a titanium niobium composite oxide, which serves as an active material, is used in combination with a solid-state electrolyte. The electrode mixture contains: a sulfide solid-state electrolyte containing a lithium element, a phosphorus element, and a sulfur element; and an active material, wherein the active material is represented by general formula Ti1±?Nb2±?P7±?, where 0??<1, 0??<2, and 0??<0.3, and the active material has a ratio of a particle diameter D50 at which the volume cumulative particle diameter based on the volume-based particle size distribution obtained by measuring with a laser diffraction scattering-type particle size distribution measurement method is 50% with respect to a BET specific surface area analyzed from the gas absorption isotherm curve on the basis of multimolecular layer adsorption theory (D50 (?m)/BET (m2/g)) of 0.005 or more and 5.0 or less.

Abstract: An electrode catalyst layer for fuel cells capable of effectively preventing reduction of cell voltage in a high current density region. The electrode catalyst layer contains a catalyst-on-support composed of a support made of a conductive inorganic oxide having a catalyst supported thereon and a hydrophilic material. The hydrophilic material is an agglomerate including hydrophilic conductive particles. The content of the hydrophilic material in the catalyst layer is 2 mass % or higher and lower than 20 mass % relative to the sum of the support and the hydrophilic material. The ratio of the particle size d1 of the hydrophilic particles to the particle size D of the catalyst-on-support is 0.5 to 3.0. The ratio of the particle size d2 of the hydrophilic material to the thickness T of the catalyst layer is 0.1 to 1.2.

Abstract: There is provided a roughened copper foil which can significantly improve adhesion to an insulating resin and reliability (e.g., hygroscopic heat resistance). The roughened copper foil of the present invention has at least one roughened surface having fine irregularities composed of acicular crystals, wherein the entire surface of the acicular crystals is composed of a mixed phase of Cu metal and Cu2O.

Abstract: There is provided a roughened copper foil which can significantly improve adhesion to an insulating resin and reliability (e.g., hygroscopic heat resistance). The roughened copper foil of the present invention has at least one roughened surface having fine irregularities composed of acicular crystals, wherein the entire surface of the acicular crystals is composed of a mixed phase of Cu metal and Cu2O.

Abstract: Fluorine-doped tin oxide particles having a structure characterized by peaks at at least 123±5 cm?1, 139±5 cm?1, and 170±5 cm?1 in Raman spectroscopy. The particles preferably have additional Raman spectral peaks at 78±5 cm?1, 97±5 cm?1, 109±5 cm?1, 186±5 cm?1, and 207±5 cm?1. The particles preferably have a specific surface area of 10 to 300 m2/g.

Abstract: To effectively utilize exhaust heat of an engine mounted on a vehicle. An exhaust heat utilization system includes a working fluid heating tank (11) mounted on a truck (10) driven by an engine (12) and configured to heat a working fluid (30) stored therein with exhaust heat of the engine (12) and a heater (26) configured to heat a greenhouse (25) with the working fluid (30) heated by the working fluid heating tank (11). Exhaust heat recovered from the truck (10) is utilized for the heating of the greenhouse (25).

Abstract: To provide a fuel cell system capable of performing a purge operation necessary for realizing a stable output and being miniaturized without using a controller or a sensor, there is provided a fuel cell system having a main power generation part and a sub-power generation part positioned on a downstream side of a fuel flow path of the main power generation part, including: a purge valve provided on a downstream side of the fuel flow path of the sub-power generation part; and an actuator for opening/closing the purge valve with an electromotive force of the sub-power generation part.

Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell which has a buffer space provided on a downstream side of a fuel supply space, and in which an output of a most downstream fuel cell unit is less affected by impurity gas stored in the fuel supply space.

Abstract: Fluorine-doped tin oxide particles having a structure characterized by peaks at at least 123±5 cm?1, 139±5 cm?1, and 170±5 cm?1 in Raman spectroscopy. The particles preferably have additional Raman spectral peaks at 78±5 cm?1, 97±5 cm?1, 109±5 cm?1, 186±5 cm?1, and 207±5 cm?1. The particles preferably have a specific surface area of 10 to 300 m2/g.

Abstract: A chlorine-doped tin oxide particle exhibits peaks at at least 108±5 cm?1, 122±5 cm?1, and 133±5 cm?1 in Raman spectroscopy. The chlorine-doped tin oxide particle preferably has an additional Raman spectral peak at 337±10 cm?1. The chlorine-doped tin oxide particle preferably has a specific surface area of 10 to 300 m2/g. The chlorine-doped tin oxide particle preferably has an average primary particle size of 3 to 200 nm. The chlorine-doped tin oxide particle is preferably substantially free of oxygen deficiency.

Abstract: To effectively utilize exhaust heat of an engine mounted on a vehicle. An exhaust heat utilization system includes a working fluid heating tank (11) mounted on a truck (10) driven by an engine (12) and configured to heat a working fluid (30) stored therein with exhaust heat of the engine (12) and a heater (26) configured to heat a greenhouse (25) with the working fluid (30) heated by the working fluid heating tank (11). Exhaust heat recovered from the truck (10) is utilized for the heating of the greenhouse (25).

Abstract: A fuel cell stack is divided into a main power generation portion and a sub power generation portion. A variable load large in variation of output current is connected to the main power generation portion located upstream in a fuel flow and a steady load small in variation of output current is connected to the sub power generation portion located downstream in the fuel flow. This causes a fuel cell unit constituting the sub power generation portion to continue consuming a constant fuel by constant power generation and also causes hydrogen gas to continue flowing at a constant flow rate into the fuel cell unit, thereby preventing impurity gas concentrated and stored in the fuel cell unit from diffusing toward the upstream.

Abstract: A fuel cell including a fuel cell stack having a fuel cell unit provided with, in order to enable appropriate control of a wet state before power generation efficiency of the fuel cell is reduced, a polymer electrolyte membrane having one surface thereof provided with an oxidizer electrode and another surface thereof provided with a fuel electrode. The fuel cell unit includes plural power generation cell units and a pair of wet state detection cell units.

Abstract: In a case of consuming a power generation reaction inducing gas, which causes lowering in performance and degradation of a fuel cell during suspension of operation thereof, and in a case of performing warm up at a time of activation at low temperatures, in order to automatically perform short circuiting control, there is provided a fuel cell having a structure including a switch which is switchable in accordance with a state of containing water generated in a power generation portion.

Abstract: A conductance at an oxidizer flow path forming member is defined as C1, a conductance at an opening portion of the oxidizer flow path forming member at which an oxidizer flow rate regulating portion is arranged is defined as C2, the conductances have a relationship of C1>C2. Further, the fuel cell stack has at least one inner fuel cell unit having a value of C1/C2 which is larger than values of C1/C2 of fuel cell units located at both ends of the fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A fuel cell including a fuel cell stack having a fuel cell unit provided with, in order to enable appropriate control of a wet state before power generation efficiency of the fuel cell is reduced, a polymer electrolyte membrane having one surface thereof provided with an oxidizer electrode and another surface thereof provided with a fuel electrode. The fuel cell unit includes plural power generation cell units and a pair of wet state detection cell units.

Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell including a fuel cell stack having a fuel cell unit provided with, in order to enable appropriately controlling a wet state before power generation efficiency of the fuel cell is reduced, a polymer electrolyte membrane having one surface thereof provided with an oxidizer electrode and another surface thereof provided with a fuel electrode. In the fuel cell: the fuel cell unit includes plural power generation cell units and a pair of wet state detection cell units; one of the pair of wet state detection cell units includes an excessively humidified state detection cell unit which is more sensitive of an excessively humidified state than the power generation cell units; and another one of the pair of wet state detection cell units includes a dry state detection cell unit which is more sensitive of a dry state than the power generation cell units.

Abstract: A fuel cell system including a fuel supply control mechanism, which is disposed between the fuel tank and the fuel cell, capable of interrupting the supply of the fuel; and a temperature sensor provided to a circuit connecting the fuel supply control mechanism to the fuel cell for changing a resistance according to at least one of a temperature of the power generation of the fuel cell and a temperature of an electronic device supplied with electric power from the fuel cell. The fuel supply control mechanism is operated by a change in the resistance of the temperature sensor so that the supply of the fuel is interrupted. The system enables more reliably the interruption of a supply of fuel by a passive structure in a control when a temperature of a power generation portion of the fuel cell exceeds an allowable range.

Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell including a fuel cell unit having a membrane electrode assembly having catalyst layers provided on both surfaces of a polymer electrolyte membrane, the membrane electrode assembly being sandwiched between an oxidizer electrode and a fuel electrode; the fuel cell unit further including a gas diffusion layer laminated on the catalyst layer on a oxidizer electrode side; a flow path forming member provided on the gas diffusion layer; and a support member surrounding a portion where the gas diffusion layer comes into contact with the membrane electrode assembly; the support member being disposed in a position between the flow path forming member and the polymer electrolyte membrane, the position being opposed, with respect to the polymer electrolyte membrane, to a sealing material disposed on a side of the fuel electrode, for sealing the fuel electrode.