Abstract: According to an embodiment, a porous catalyst layer includes a metal portion including plural noble metal-including sheets stacked apart from each other, and a porous nanocarbon layer disposed between two adjacent noble metal-including sheets. The plural noble metal-including sheets in the metal portion have an integrated portion. The porous nanocarbon layer includes fibrous nanocarbon.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure aim to provide a catalyst layer ensuring a high cell voltage and having both excellent robustness and sufficient endurance, and also to provide a process for producing the layer, a membrane electrode assembly and an electrochemical cell. The catalyst layer comprises two or more noble metal-containing layers, and a porous ceramic layer placed between the noble metal-containing layers. Further, in the catalyst layer, voids exist between the porous ceramic layer and the noble metal-containing layers.

Abstract: An electrode of an embodiment includes a base material, and a catalyst layer provided on the base material and having a porous structure. When a sum of heights of all peaks belonging to Ir oxide is I0, the height of a peak of IrO2 (110) is I1, and the height of a peak of IrO2 (211) is I2, a ratio of (I1+I2)/I0, which is a ratio of spectra obtained by X-ray diffraction measurements using K? rays of Cu in the catalyst layer, is 50% or more and 100% or less in a range of a diffraction angle of 20 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, the noble metal catalyst layer includes first noble metal layer and a second noble metal layer formed on the first noble metal layer. The first noble metal layer includes a first noble metal element and has a porosity of 65 to 95 vol. %, a volume of pores having a diameter of 5 to 80 nm accounts for 50% or more of a volume of total pores in the first noble metal layer. The second noble metal layer includes a second noble metal element, and has an average thickness of 3 to 20 nm and a porosity of 50 vol. % or less.

Abstract: An electrode of an embodiment includes a substrate, an intermediate layer provided on the substrate, and a catalyst layer provided on the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer is a mixture that includes two or more substances among a compound, and single element of noble metal or an alloy including noble metal. In a composition ratio of the mixture, a composition ratio of the intermediate layer in the vicinity of an interface between the substrate and the intermediate layer is different from a composition ratio of the intermediate layer in the vicinity of an interface between the catalyst layer and the intermediate layer.

Abstract: An electrode of an embodiment includes a base material, and a catalyst layer provided on the base material and having a porous structure. When a sum of heights of all peaks belonging to Ir oxide is I0, the height of a peak of IrO2 (110) is T1, and the height of a peak of IrO2 (211) is I2, a ratio of (I1+I2)/I0, which is a ratio of spectra obtained by X-ray diffraction measurements using K? rays of Cu in the catalyst layer, is 50% or more and 100% or less in a range of a diffraction angle of 20 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a porous catalyst layer includes a metal portion including plural noble metal-including sheets stacked apart from each other, and a porous nanocarbon layer disposed between two adjacent noble metal-including sheets. The plural noble metal-including sheets in the metal portion have an integrated portion. The porous nanocarbon layer includes fibrous nanocarbon.

Abstract: A carbon electrode of an embodiment includes: a graphene having a graphene skeleton, carbon atoms in the graphene skeleton being partially substituted by a nitrogen atom, wherein the graphene contains an oxygen atom, and the carbon electrode is doped with a cation.

Abstract: An oxygen reduction catalyst of an embodiment includes: a stack of single-layer graphenes; and a phosphorus compound, wherein some of carbon atoms of the graphenes are replaced by nitrogen atoms, and the phosphorus compound has a peak of phosphorus 2p orbital of 133.0 to 134.5 eV in X-ray photoelectron spectrum.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly, including: forming a catalyst layer precursor containing a mixture of a catalyst material and a pore-forming material on a substrate having a flatness of 60% or more; removing the pore-forming material from the catalyst layer precursor on the substrate, thereby forming a catalyst layer containing the catalyst material and having a porosity of 20 to 90% by volume; transferring the catalyst layer from the substrate to a gas diffusion layer, to provide an electrode; and bonding the catalyst layer of the electrode to an electrolyte membrane, to provide a membrane electrode assembly.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure aim to provide a catalyst layer ensuring a high cell voltage and having both excellent robustness and sufficient endurance, and also to provide a process for producing the layer, a membrane electrode assembly and an electrochemical cell.

Abstract: A catalyst layer containing a catalyst material, the catalyst layer having a porosity of 20 to 90% by vol and satisfying a relation: R1?R0×1.2, wherein R1 is an alignment ratio of the catalyst layer; and R0 is an alignment ratio of the catalyst material in powder form having a random crystalline plane distribution, and each of the alignment ratios is calculated from a X-ray diffraction spectrum having a diffraction angle 2? range from 10 to 90 degree measured using Cu-K?-rays.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a conductive material includes a carbon substance and a metallic substance mixed with and/or laminated to the carbon substance. The carbon substance has at least one dimension of 200 nm or less. The carbon substance includes a graphene selected from single-layered graphene and multi-layered graphene, a part of carbon atoms constituting the graphene is substituted with a nitrogen atom. The metallic substance includes at least one of a metallic particle and a metallic wire.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a photoelectric conversion layer containing a semiconductor and plural metal-containing minute structures dispersed therein. The minute structures are minute structures (A) comprising metal material (?) or otherwise minute structures (B) comprising metal material (?) and material (?) selected from the group consisting of oxide, nitride and oxynitride of substances and the semiconductor. In the minute structures (B), the material (?) is on the surface of the metal material (?). Each of the minute structures has an equivalent circle diameter of 1 nm to 10 nm inclusive on the basis of the projected area when observed from a particular direction. The closest distance between adjacent two of the minute structures is 3 nm to 50 nm inclusive. The present disclosure also provides applications of the photoelectric conversion layer to a solar cell, a photodiode and an image sensor.

Abstract: A carbon material of an embodiment includes: a columnar structure in which a carbon compound having a graphene skeleton is laminated, the graphene skeleton whose some of carbon atoms are substituted with nitrogen atoms. In the carbon material, a graphene skeleton surface of the carbon compound is inclined at an angle of 5 degrees or more and 80 degrees or less with respect to a column axial direction of the columnar structure.

Abstract: An oxygen reduction catalyst of an embodiment includes: a stack of single-layer graphenes; and a phosphorus compound, wherein some of carbon atoms of the graphenes are replaced by nitrogen atoms, and the phosphorus compound has a peak of phosphorus 2p orbital of 133.0 to 134.5 eV in X-ray photoelectron spectrum.

Abstract: A carbon electrode of an embodiment includes: a graphene having a graphene skeleton, carbon atoms in the graphene skeleton being partially substituted by a nitrogen atom, wherein the graphene contains an oxygen atom, and the carbon electrode is doped with a cation.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, the noble metal catalyst layer includes first noble metal layer and a second noble metal layer formed on the first noble metal layer. The first noble metal layer includes a first noble metal element and has a porosity of 65 to 95 vol. %, a volume of pores having a diameter of 5 to 80 nm accounts for 50% or more of a volume of total pores in the first noble metal layer. The second noble metal layer includes a second noble metal element, and has an average thickness of 3 to 20 nm and a porosity of 50 vol. % or less.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a conductive material includes a carbon substance and a metallic substance mixed with and/or laminated to the carbon substance. The carbon substance has at least one dimension of 200 nm or less. The carbon substance includes a graphene selected from single-layered graphene and multi-layered graphene, a part of carbon atoms constituting the graphene is substituted with a nitrogen atom. The metallic substance includes at least one of a metallic particle and a metallic wire.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a catalyst layer containing a catalyst material. The catalyst layer satisfying requirements below: a porosity of 20 to 90% by vol; and a relation R1?R0×1.2. In the above inequality, R1 represents an alignment ratio of the catalyst layer and R0 represents an alignment ratio of the catalyst material in powder form having a random crystalline plane distribution, and each of the alignment ratios is calculated from a X-ray diffraction spectrum having a diffraction angle 2? range from 10 to 90 degree measured using Cu-K?-rays.