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, an anode for a direct methanol fuel cell includes an anode catalyst layer containing a noble metal catalyst and a proton-conductive polyelectrolyte. A log differential pore volume distribution curve measured by a mercury intrusion porosimetry of the anode catalyst layer has a peak within a pore diameter range of 0.06 to 0.3 ?m and satisfies the following relationship: 0.5?(V1/V0)?0.9 wherein V0 is a cumulative pore volume of pores having a diameter of from 0.02 to 1 ?m, as measured by a mercury intrusion porosimetry, and V1 is a cumulative pore volume of pores having a diameter of from 0.02 to 0.2 ?m, as measured by a mercury intrusion porosimetry.

Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc-No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.

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.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a catalyst-supporting substrate comprises a substrate and a catalyst layer including a plurality of pores, the catalyst layer being supported on the substrate. The average diameter of the section of the pore when the catalyst is cut in the thickness direction of the thickness is 5 nm to 400 nm, and the long-side to short-side ratio of the pore on the section is 1:1 to 10:1 in average.

Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc?No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.

Abstract: A catalyst layer includes a layered structure. The layered structure is laminated with sheet-like unit catalysts and pore layers. The sheet-like unit catalysts have mean thicknesses of 4 to 30 nm. The pore layers are sandwiched between the sheet-like unit catalysts.

Abstract: An electrolysis device of an embodiment includes: an anode, a cathode having a nitrogen-containing carbon alloy catalyst, and an electrolysis cell having a membrane electrode assembly composed of an electrolyte present between the anode and the cathode so that voltage is applied to the anode and the cathode, wherein the electrolyte is any one of acidic, neutral, or alkali, water is produced by the electrolysis device at the cathode, when the electrolyte is acidic, and hydroxide ion is produced by the electrolysis device at the anode, when the electrolyte is neutral or alkali.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an anode for a direct methanol fuel cell includes an anode catalyst layer containing a noble metal catalyst and a proton-conductive polyelectrolyte. A log differential pore volume distribution curve measured by a mercury intrusion porosimetry of the anode catalyst layer has a peak within a pore diameter range of 0.06 to 0.3 ?m and satisfies the following relationship: 0.5?(V1/V0)?0.9 wherein V0 is a cumulative pore volume of pores having a diameter of from 0.02 to 1 ?m, as measured by a mercury intrusion porosimetry, and V1 is a cumulative pore volume of pores having a diameter of from 0.02 to 0.2 ?m, as measured by a mercury intrusion porosimetry.

Abstract: In one embodiment, in a fuel cell, a first electrode supplied with an oxidant gas includes a first gas diffusion layer having a first porous base material and a first catalyst layer having a second porous base material. The first catalyst layer is stacked to the first gas diffusion layer. The second porous base material has a pore diameter distribution with a peak in a range of 0.04 ?m to 0.12 ?m, and a volume ratio of pores with diameters of 0.04 ?m to 0.12 ?m to all the pores being 17% or more. A second electrode supplied with a fuel includes a second gas diffusion layer having a third porous base material and a second catalyst layer having a fourth porous base material. The second catalyst layer is stacked to the second gas diffusion layer. An electrolyte film is held between the first and second catalyst layers.

Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc-No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.

Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc?No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.

Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc?No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.

Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc?No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.

Abstract: A fuel cell is provided, which includes a membrane electrode assembly including an electrolytic film sandwiched between an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer, an anode gas diffusion layer disposed adjacent to the anode catalyst layer and a cathode gas diffusion layer disposed adjacent to the cathode catalyst layer, and a pair of separators which are in contact with the anode gas diffusion layer and the cathode gas diffusion layer, respectively. At least one of the separators includes a metallic member having a channel and an oxide layer disposed on a bottom of the channel. The oxide layer includes silica and tin oxide which accounts for 0.0001-30% by weight of silica.

Abstract: A cathode includes a diffusion layer, and a porous catalyst layer provided on the diffusion layer. The porous catalyst layer has a thickness not greater than 60 ?m, a porosity of 30 to 70% and a pore diameter distribution including a peak in a range of 20 to 200 nm of a pore diameter. A volume of pores having a diameter of 20 to 200 nm is not less than 50% of a pore volume of the porous catalyst layer. The porous catalyst layer contains a supported catalyst comprising 10 to 30% by weight of a fibrous supported catalyst and 70 to 90% by weight of a granular supported catalyst. The fibrous supported catalyst includes a carbon nanofiber having a herringbone structure or a platelet structure. The granular supported catalyst includes a carbon black having 200 to 600 mL/100 g of a dibutyl phthalate (DBP) absorption value.

Abstract: A cathode for a direct methanol fuel cell is provided. The cathode comprises a cathode catalyst layer includes a first carbon powder supporting a noble metal catalyst, a proton conductive polyelectrolyte at least partially covering a surface of the first carbon powder, and a second carbon powder having a water repellent material on a surface thereof. The cathode catalyst layer is accompanied with a porous structure satisfying following conditions. 40%?(V1/V0)?70% wherein V0 represents a volume of pores having a diameter ranging from 3 nm to 10 ?m, and V1 represents a volume of pores having a diameter ranging from 50 nm to 10 ?m.

Abstract: The present invention provides an anode used in a direct methanol fuel cell and a direct methanol fuel cell employing that anode. They can prevent crossovers of methanol and water and also can control permeation of water, so as to achieve high power output. The anode comprises an anode catalyst layer 20 and a gas-diffusion layer 150, and the gas-diffusion layer comprises a porous sheet support mainly made of carbon. In the porous sheet support, a high packing density area 50 is formed near the surface.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fuel cell including: a membrane electrode assembly including: an electrolyte membrane; anode and cathode catalyst layers respectively disposed on the electrolyte membrane; and anode and cathode gas diffusion layers respectively disposed on the anode and cathode catalyst layers; a cathode porous body including a front face portion and a rear face portion and being disposed on the cathode gas diffusion layer at the front face portion, the front face portion having an electric conductivity higher than that of air and having a hydrophilicity higher than that of the rear face portion; an anode passage plate disposed on the anode gas diffusion layer; and an air supply apparatus that supplies air toward an end of the cathode porous body.