Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Other

Yoshihiro Ikoma

Koji Matsuoka

Akira Hamada

Junichi Ozaki

Asao Oya

A fuel cell is provided which can enhance the CO resistance to thereby improve the voltage characteristics thereof. A fuel cell includes an electrolyte layer, a first electrode provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer, and a second electrode provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer. In this fuel cell, a reaction fluid to be supplied to the first electrode contains carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is generated from a reaction fluid having been supplied to the first electrode. The first electrode of the fuel cell includes a first catalyst material (Pt) having a function of extracting an electron from the reaction fluid, a second catalyst material (WAu) having a function of reducing the activation energy for conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, and an oxygen-supplying material (Ru) supplying oxygen.

Fuel cell

The invention provides a high activity electrode catalyst for fuel cells whose catalytic activity due to an expensive noble metal, such as platinum, has been improved to a higher level through the use of an inexpensive material to enable a reduction in noble metal catalyst usage, a fuel cell in which the above high activity electrode catalyst is used, a membrane-electrode assembly in which the above high activity electrode catalyst is used, and a gas diffusion electrode in which the above high activity electrode catalyst is used. Use is made of an electrode catalyst for fuel cells comprising a carbon material that contain catalytically induced turbostratic structures in parts of its structure and noble metal particles supported thereon, or an electrode catalyst for fuel cells comprising the catalyst mentioned above and a catalyst comprising carbon black and noble metal particles supported thereon as mixed together or an electrode catalyst comprising the catalyst mentioned above and carbon black as mixed together.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Yoshihiro Ikoma