Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing carbon nanohorns includes a production chamber configured to irradiate a solid carbon material with a laser beam to produce a product containing carbon nanohorns; and a separation mechanism configured to separate the product produced in the production chamber into a lightweight component and a heavyweight component. The heavyweight component includes carbon nanohorn aggregate with high purity, and high-purity carbon nanotubes can be obtained by collecting the heavyweight component.

Abstract: Provided is a Si—Ge laminated thin film including at least one Si layer and at least one Ge layer, which are alternately laminated on a substrate (1). A Si layer (31) and a Ge layer (22) each have a thickness in a range of 5 to 500 nm. The Si layer (31) is amorphous and only the Ge layer (22) is crystallized. An average crystallite size of Ge in the Ge layer (22) is 20 nm or less.

Abstract: An adhesive layer 3 is disposed between a carbon particle 2 and a catalyst substance 1 of a catalyst-supporting particle for a fuel cell containing the carbon particle 2 and the catalyst substance 1. Thereby, the catalyst-supporting particle for fuel cell can be obtained in which a contact resistance between the catalyst substance and the carbon particle supporting the same is lower, and the aggregation of the catalyst substance is suppressed. A catalyst electrode for a fuel cell and the fuel cell using the above particle have a higher output power and an excellent durability.

Abstract: A fuel cell is provided which can supply the stable power and has higher reliability and a longer period of life without the influence of the circumstances and the operation conditions. An absorbent disposed near an oxidant electrode of a fuel cell including a fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode approaches to the vicinity of or is in contact with the oxidant electrode surface or departs from the oxidant electrode. Thereby, the absorbent removes moisture on the oxidant electrode so that the fuel cell which can supply the stable power with the higher reliability and the longer period of life can be provided.

Abstract: An adhesion layer containing a second solid polymer electrolyte is disposed between a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and a fuel electrode and/or an oxidant electrode containing a first solid polymer electrolyte and a catalyst substance. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane and the adhesion layer are made of the same solid polymer electrolyte. In this manner, the adhesion at the interface between the electrode surface and the solid polymer electrolyte membrane is enhanced to implement the elevation of the cell characteristics and the elevation of the reliability of the cell.

Abstract: The operability of a fuel cell which uses a fuel cartridge housing a liquid fuel is improved. A fuel cartridge 1400 houses a liquid fuel 124. The fuel cartridge 1400 includes a gas-liquid separation film 1408 which divides a fuel housing section 1402 into a liquid housing chamber 1402a and a gas housing chamber 1402b. A fuel gas, which is the vaporized liquid fuel, is housed in the gas housing chamber 1402b. A gas exhaust pipe 1410 is connected to the gas housing chamber 1402b, and the fuel gas housed in the gas housing chamber 1402b is discharged to outside the fuel cartridge 1400 via a gas discharge port 1414.

Abstract: A fuel cell (100) which has an electrode-electrolyte joined article (101) composed of a fuel electrode (102), an oxidizing agent electrode (108) and, sandwiched thereby, a solid polymer electrolyte (114), characterized in that a separation film (330) comprising a material exhibiting an oxygen/nitrogen separation factor of more than 1 is provided on the surface of an oxidizing agent electrode side current collector (110) constituting the oxidizing agent electrode (108). The fuel cell is a liquid fuel supply type of fuel cell which has a simple structure and also is capable of supplying satisfactory oxygen to an oxidizing agent electrode.

Abstract: A fuel cartridge in a fuel cell is constructed so as to be removably mounted to a fuel cell body. The fuel cartridge is constructed so that a high-concentration fuel tank and a mixing tank are detachably connected at a fitting section. A low-concentration fuel, a recovered fuel recovered from a fuel container, and a high-concentration fuel in the high-concentration fuel tank are mixed in the mixing tank to be a fuel at a predetermined concentration of fuel component, and then the fuel is supplied to the fuel container.

Abstract: A fuel cell (100) is mounted with a fuel cartridge (1220) in a detachable manner. The fuel cartridge (1220) is provided with a connecting part (1225) and the fuel cell (100) is provided with a fitting part (1205) into which the connecting part (1225) is fitted. The fuel cell (100) identifies the fitted fuel cartridge (1220).

Abstract: A liquid fuel supply type fuel cell is provided in which water present in the oxidizer electrode is promptly removed and evaporated, thereby achieving high output. A fuel cell electrode and methods for manufacturing the same are also provided. In a fuel cell, a base material is provided with a hydrophobic layer on the surface in contact with a catalyst layer for discharging water promptly, and a hydrophilic layer from the hydrophobic layer towards the outside of the cell for evaporating water which has passed through the hydrophobic layer from the surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing carbon nanohorns includes a production chamber configured to irradiate a solid carbon material with a laser beam to produce a product containing carbon nanohorns; and a separation mechanism configured to separate the product produced in the production chamber into a lightweight component and a heavyweight component. The heavyweight component includes carbon nanohorn aggregate with high purity, and high-purity carbon nanotubes can be obtained by collecting the heavyweight component.

Abstract: A fuel cell has a fuel electrode and an oxidizing agent electrode, a fuel supply path that supplies a liquid fuel to the fuel electrode, an oxidizing agent supply path that supplies an oxidizing agent to the oxidizing agent electrode, and an opening/closing member that, by changing its shape, opens and closes the oxidizing agent supply path. The change in the shape of the opening/closing member regulates the opening and closing of the oxidizing agent supply path.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell which has a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode disposed on one side of the polymer electrolyte membrane and a cathode disposed on the other side of the polymer electrolyte membrane, wherein an organic fuel is supplied to the anode, and wherein the anode has an anode catalyst layer containing a catalyst and a proton-conducting material, and the cathode has a cathode catalyst layer containing a catalyst, a proton-conducting material and an oxygen-permeating material.

Abstract: A plume (109) is generated by irradiating a side face of a graphite rod (101) with a laser beam (103) to vaporize carbon. The vaporized carbon is introduced to a carbon nanohorn recovery chamber (119) through a recovery pipe (155), and the vaporized carbon is recovered as a carbon nanohorn assembly (117). A cooling tank (150) including liquid nitrogen (151) is arranged in the recovery pipe (155). While the cooling tank (150) controls the plume (109) at a low temperature, the cooling tank (150) cools the carbon vapor when the carbon vapor passes through the recovery pipe (155). The cooled carbon vapor is recovered as the carbon nanohorn assembly (117) which is controlled in the desired shape and dimensions.

Abstract: For the purpose of efficiently discharging CO2 generated therein while increasing the fuel utilization efficiency, a fuel cell comprises a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a cathode arranged in contact with one side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode arranged in contact with the other side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a cathode collector and an anode collector respectively arranged in contact with the cathode and anode, a sealing member arranged in the rim of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and sandwiched between the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and the anode collector, a fuel supply controlling membrane for vaporizing a liquid fuel and supplying the vaporized fuel to the anode, and a discharging unit for discharging a product produced by electrical reaction at the anode to the outside. An air vent formed in the sealing member serves as the discharging unit.

Abstract: An electrode sheet (489) is put in one side of a solid electrolyte membrane (114) at its cut portion. A base member (110) for an oxidant electrode side current collector electrode sheet (499) is placed at a location facing a base member (104) for the electrode sheet (489) formed on one face of the solid electrolyte membrane (114). In addition, the base member (104) for a fuel electrode side current collector electrode sheet (497) is placed at a location facing the base member (110) formed on the other face of the electrolyte film (114).

Abstract: A fuel cell includes electrode sheets composed of an electrically conductive porous body composed by a sheet member having a framework having a three-dimensional mesh structure containing pores, a catalyst layer formed on one side thereof, and a resin portion integrally formed on an outer peripheral edge; the electrically conductive porous body has a current collection portion formed in a portion thereof having a laminated structure consisting of a plurality of sheet members, and the pores in each sheet member of the current collection portion are formed to be pressed flatter than the pores of other portions; a resin penetrates into pores within the electrically conductive porous body at bound portions of the resin portion and the electrically conductive porous body; and, among a plurality of unit cells A and B, at least a portion thereof are connected in series by means of an electrically conductive member that passes through an electrolyte membrane from the current collection portion of the electrically con

Abstract: A fuel cell has a fuel electrode and an oxidizing agent electrode, a fuel supply path that supplies a liquid fuel to the fuel electrode, an oxidizing agent supply path that supplies an oxidizing agent to the oxidizing agent electrode, and an opening/closing member that, by changing its shape, opens and closes the oxidizing agent supply path. The change in the shape of the opening/closing member regulates the opening and closing of the oxidizing agent supply path.

Abstract: Output properties of a fuel cell can be improved by using a single cell structure 1387 having an anode 102 and an oxidizing agent electrode 108 in both sides of a solid electrolyte membrane 114 and an evaporation inhibiting layer 1388 covering the surface of the cathode 108 which is not in contact with the solid electrolyte membrane 114.

Abstract: A fuel cell (100) is mounted with a fuel cartridge (1220) in a detachable manner. The fuel cartridge (1220) is provided with a connecting part (1225) and the fuel cell (100) is provided with a fitting part (1205) into which the connecting part (1225) is fitted. The fuel cell (100) identifies the fitted fuel cartridge (1220).