Electrocatalysts for PEM Fuel Cells

Degradation phenomena of electrocatalysts for proton‐exchange membrane fuel cells and their mechanisms are reviewed. Platinum dissolution and redeposition, carbon‐support corrosion, inhomogeneity during start‐up and cell reversal are discussed as factors that influence the degradation of electrocatalysts with relation to electrode potential. Early research findings at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan, are mainly used as a basis of discussion. The development of highly durable electrocatalysts using an oxide support based on the results of degradation studies to suppress electrocatalyst degradation is summarized with a main focus on Pt‐deposited Ti₄O₇ catalysts developed at AIST. The development of high‐CO‐concentration durable anode electrocatalysts is also reviewed. In particular, an electrocatalyst that uses an organic complex as a co‐electrocatalyst with a platinum ruthenium alloy anode electrocatalyst developed at AIST is included as a novel high‐CO‐concentration durable anode electrocatalyst.     

Cerium Oxide Decorated Polymer Nanofibers as Effective Membrane Reinforcement for Durable,High‐Performance Fuel Cells

High‐power, durable composite fuel cell membranes are fabricated here by direct membrane deposition (DMD). Poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co ‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP) nanofibers, decorated with CeO₂ nanoparticles are directly electrospun onto gas diffusion electrodes. The nanofiber mesh is impregnated by inkjet‐printed Nafion ionomer dispersion. This results in 12 µm thin multicomponent composite membranes. The nanofibers provide membrane reinforcement, whereas the attached CeO₂ nanoparticles promote improved chemical membrane durability due to their radical scavenging properties. In a 100 h accelerated stress test under hot and dry conditions, the reinforced DMD fuel cell shows a more than three times lower voltage decay rate (0.39 mV h^?1) compared to a comparably thin Gore membrane (1.36 mV h^?1). The maximum power density of the DMD fuel cell drops by 9%, compared to 54% measured for the reference. Impedance spectroscopy reveals that ionic and mass transport resistance of the DMD fuel cell are unaffected by the accelerated stress test. This is in contrast to the reference, where a 90% increase of the mass transport resistance is measured. Energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy reveals that no significant migration of cerium into the catalyst layers occurs during degradation. This proves that the PVDF‐HFP backbone provides strong anchoring of CeO₂ in the membrane.     

胎膜组织贴壁细胞：一种新的间质干细胞来源

[目的] 建立体外分离纯化胎膜组织贴壁细胞（fetal membrane derived adherent cells,FMDACs）的方法,并且研究FMDACs的基本生物学特性。[方法] 用胰酶消化法分离FMDACs,体外传代培养,并进行向成骨、成脂细胞的诱导分化培养,流式细胞仪、免疫细胞化学检测表面抗原,核型分析及致瘤性实验。[结果] 成功地进行了FMDACs的原代培养及传代培养,FMDACs具有良好的增殖能力,表达CD44、CD29,不表达CD34、CD14、CD45,经诱导后能够分化为成骨细胞和成脂细胞,传代多次后核型正常,无致瘤性。[结论] 胎膜组织中可以分离得到具有间质干细胞特性的贴壁细胞,具有较强的自我更新和多向分化能力,遗传背景稳定无致瘤性。FMDACs为临床应用进行细胞治疗和基因治疗提供了新的来源。     

Proteins reacting with anti-spectrin antibodies are present in Chlamydomonas Cells.

It was found either in Western-blot analysis or in indirect immunofluorescence microscopy that cells of the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardhi contain polypeptides cross-reactng with antibodies directed against red blood cell spectrin. The protein could also be detected by immunoprecipitation with anti-spectrin antibodies. C. reinhardtii cells contain distinct polypeptide chains reacting with antibodies directed against either α- or β- spectrin subunits. This protein was extracted from the cells with low ionic strength solution but was not with nonionic detergent.     

A Highly Order‐Structured Membrane Electrode Assembly with Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes for Ultra‐Low Pt Loading PEM Fuel Cells

A simple method was developed to prepare ultra‐low Pt loading membrane electrode assembly (MEA) using vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) as highly ordered catalyst support for PEM fuel cells application. In the method, VACNTs were directly grown on the cheap household aluminum foil by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), using Fe/Co bimetallic catalyst. By depositing a Pt thin layer on VACNTs/Al and subsequent hot pressing, Pt/VACNTs can be 100% transferred from Al foil onto polymer electrolyte membrane for the fabrication of MEA. The whole transfer process does not need any chemical removal and destroy membrane. The PEM fuel cell with the MEA fabricated using this method showed an excellent performance with ultra‐low Pt loading down to 35 μg cm^?2 which was comparable to that of the commercial Pt catalyst on carbon powder with 400 μg cm^?2. To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, we identified that it is possible to substantially reduce the Pt loading one order by application of order‐structured electrode based on VACNTs as Pt catalysts support, compared with the traditional random electrode at a comparable performance through experimental and mathematical methods.     

Mapping of Heterogeneous Catalyst Degradation in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

Pt catalysts in polymer electrolyte fuel cells degrade heterogeneously as the catalyst particles are exposed to local variations throughout the catalyst layer during operation. State‐of‐the‐art analytical techniques for studying degradation of Pt catalysts do not possess fine spatial resolution to elucidate such non‐uniform degradation behavior at a large electrode level. A new methodology is developed to spatially resolve and quantify the heterogeneous Pt catalyst degradation over a large area (several cm²) of aged MEAs based on synchrotron X‐ray microdiffraction. PEFC single cells are aged using voltage cycling as an accelerated stress test and the degradation heterogeneity at a micrometer length scale is visualized by mapping Pt catalyst particle size after voltage cycling. It is demonstrated in detail that the Pt catalyst particle size growth is non‐uniform and follows the flow field geometry. The Pt particle size growth is greater in the area under the flow field land, while it is minimal in the area under the flow field channel. Additional non‐uniformity is observed with the Pt particle size increasing more rapidly at the air outlet area than the Pt particle size at the inlet area.     

Probing and Mapping Electrode Surfaces in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are potentially the most efficient and cost-effective solution to utilization of a wide variety of fuels beyond hydrogen ^1-7. The performance of SOFCs and the rates of many chemical and energy transformation processes in energy storage and conversion devices in general are limited primarily by charge and mass transfer along electrode surfaces and across interfaces. Unfortunately, the mechanistic understanding of these processes is still lacking, due largely to the difficulty of characterizing these processes under in situ conditions. This knowledge gap is a chief obstacle to SOFC commercialization. The development of tools for probing and mapping surface chemistries relevant to electrode reactions is vital to unraveling the mechanisms of surface processes and to achieving rational design of new electrode materials for more efficient energy storage and conversion². Among the relatively few in situ surface analysis methods, Raman spectroscopy can be performed even with high temperatures and harsh atmospheres, making it ideal for characterizing chemical processes relevant to SOFC anode performance and degradation^8-12. It can also be used alongside electrochemical measurements, potentially allowing direct correlation of electrochemistry to surface chemistry in an operating cell. Proper in situ Raman mapping measurements would be useful for pin-pointing important anode reaction mechanisms because of its sensitivity to the relevant species, including anode performance degradation through carbon deposition^{8, 10, 13, 14} ("coking") and sulfur poisoning^{11, 15} and the manner in which surface modifications stave off this degradation¹⁶. The current work demonstrates significant progress towards this capability. In addition, the family of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques provides a special approach to interrogate the electrode surface with nanoscale resolution. Besides the surface topography that is routinely collected by AFM and STM, other properties such as local electronic states, ion diffusion coefficient and surface potential can also be investigated^17-22. In this work, electrochemical measurements, Raman spectroscopy, and SPM were used in conjunction with a novel test electrode platform that consists of a Ni mesh electrode embedded in an yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte. Cell performance testing and impedance spectroscopy under fuel containing H₂S was characterized, and Raman mapping was used to further elucidate the nature of sulfur poisoning. In situ Raman monitoring was used to investigate coking behavior. Finally, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) were used to further visualize carbon deposition on the nanoscale. From this research, we desire to produce a more complete picture of the SOFC anode.     

The Intrinsic Electrophysiological Characteristics of Fly Lobula Plate Tangential Cells: II. Active Membrane Properties

The voltage-gated currents in the fly lobula plate tangential cellswere examined using the switched electrode voltage clamp technique. InCH cells, two currents were identified (Figs. 1, 2): a slow calciuminward current and a delayed rectifying, noninactivating potassiumoutward current. HS and VS cells appear to possess similar currentsto CH cells, but in addition, exhibit a fast-activating sodium inwardcurrent and a sodium-activated potassium outward current(Figs. 3, 4). While the delayed rectifying potassium current in allthree cell classes is responsible for the observed outwardrectification described previously (Borst and Haag, 1996), the sodiuminward current produces the fast and irregular spikelikedepolarizations found in HS and VS cells but not in CH cells: Whenthe sodium current is blocked by either TTX or intracellular QX314,no more action potentials can be elicited in HS cells undercurrent-clamp conditions (Fig. 5). As is demonstrated in HS cells,space clamp conditions are sufficient to suppress synapticallyinduced action potentials (Fig. 6).The currents described above were incorporated with the appropriatecharacteristics into compartmental models of the cells (Figs. 7, 8).The anatomical and electrically passive membrane parameters of thesecells were determined in a preceding paper (Borst and Haag,1996). After fitting the current parameters to the voltage-clamp data(Fig. 9), the model cells qualitatively mimicked the fly tangentialcells under current clamp conditions in response to current injection(Fig. 10). The simulations demonstrated that the electricalcompactness seen in the HS and VS cells, either in passive models orin active models during continuous hyperpolarization, decreasedsignificantly in the active models during continuous depolarization(Fig. 11). Active HS models reproduce the frequency-dependentamplification of current injected into their axon (Fig. 12).     

Phosphatidylethanolamine Is a Key Regulator of Membrane Fluidity in Eukaryotic Cells

Adequate membrane fluidity is required for a variety of key cellular processes and in particular for proper function of membrane proteins. In most eukaryotic cells, membrane fluidity is known to be regulated by fatty acid desaturation and cholesterol, although some cells, such as insect cells, are almost devoid of sterol synthesis. We show here that insect and mammalian cells present similar microviscosity at their respective physiological temperature. To investigate how both sterols and phospholipids control fluidity homeostasis, we quantified the lipidic composition of insect SF9 and mammalian HEK 293T cells under normal or sterol-modified condition. As expected, insect cells show minimal sterols compared with mammalian cells. A major difference is also observed in phospholipid content as the ratio of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to phosphatidylcholine (PC) is inverted (4 times higher in SF9 cells). In vitro studies in liposomes confirm that both cholesterol and PE can increase rigidity of the bilayer, suggesting that both can be used by cells to maintain membrane fluidity. We then show that exogenously increasing the cholesterol amount in SF9 membranes leads to a significant decrease in PE:PC ratio whereas decreasing cholesterol in HEK 293T cells using statin treatment leads to an increase in the PE:PC ratio. In all cases, the membrane fluidity is maintained, indicating that both cell types combine regulation by sterols and phospholipids to control proper membrane fluidity.     

The Nature of Proton Shuttling in Protic Ionic Liquid Fuel Cells

It has been proposed previously that protic ionic liquids (PILs) such as diethylmethylammonium triflate could be used as the electrolytes in nonhumidified, intermediate temperature H₂ fuel cells, potentially offering the prospect of high conductivity and performance, even under anhydrous conditions. In this contribution, a combination of electroanalytical chemistry and fuel‐cell polarization analyses is used to demonstrate for the first time that the pure PILs cannot support proton shuttling between the electrodes of fuel cells. Only through the inclusion of dissolved acidic or basic proton shuttles can viable protic ionic fuel cells be fabricated, which has major consequences for the use of these neoteric electrolytes in fuel cells.     

利用异化金属还原菌构建含糖微生物燃料电池

环境中的一些微生物通过还原金属氧化物进行无氧呼吸,而石墨电极与金属氧化物相似,也可以作为这类微生物呼吸作用的最终电子受体,利用这类微生物构建微生物燃料电池,以糖类物质为燃料,对电池产电情况、产电原理进行研究。实验结果表明,以Rhodoferaxferrireducens为产电微生物,在外接电阻510Ω条件下,以葡萄糖为燃料,常温下产生的电流密度达158mAm2(平台电压为0.46V,电极有效接触表面积为57cm2),且循环性能良好。更换燃料为其它糖,发现微生物可以利用多种糖进行产电;通过SEM观察发现大量微生物吸附在石墨电极上,用Bradford法对运行20d后电池的细胞量进行定量,测得悬浮细胞蛋白浓度为140mgL,吸附在电极上的生物量为1180mgm2。通过数据采集分析和细菌还原实验,发现吸附在电极上的微生物对电压的产生贡献最大,具有电化学和生物学活性;悬浮细胞对产电贡献很小,不具有电化学和生物学活性。     

Digestion of Algal Biomass for Electricity Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells

We developed a semi-automated genome analysis system called GAMBLER in order to support the current whole-genome sequencing project focusing on alkaliphilic Bacillus halodurans C-125. GAMBLER was designed to reduce the human intervention required and to reduce the complications in annotating thousands of ORFs in the microbial genome. GAMBLER automates three major routines: analyzing assembly results provided by genome assembler software, assigning ORFs, and homology searching. GAMBLER is equipped with an interface for convenience of annotation. All processes and options are manipulatable through a WWW browser that enables scientists to share their genome analysis results without choosing computer platforms.     

植物细胞质膜离子通道研究进展

多种有机和无机离子作为重要的营养物质、渗透物质、辅酶和信号分子, 参与植物生殖、生长发育和逆境反应等多种生物学过程。离子通道是离子跨质膜和内膜运动的重要渠道和动态调控因子, 直接影响和调控细胞内离子浓度及亚细胞分布的动态变化。目前, 植物尤其是模式植物拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)的多个离子通道家族被先后鉴定出来, 其中部分离子通道蛋白定位在细胞质膜上, 其基本生物学功能, 诸如蛋白结构、离子选择性和通透性、门控特点、活性调控机理以及不同离子通道之间的协同关系等均取得重要进展。该文概要介绍近年来植物细胞质膜离子通道方面的研究进展。     

SDS-PAGE分析肝癌细胞和正常肝细胞膜蛋白

目的:采用SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)方法获得肝癌细胞株HepG2和人正常肝细胞株L-02蛋白质表达谱,期待找到与肝癌细胞相关的差异蛋白。方法:体外培养肝癌细胞株HepG2和正常肝细胞株L-02,分离提取细胞膜蛋白,用SDS-PAGE分析细胞膜蛋白。结果:2种细胞膜蛋白的疏水相和亲水相蛋白区带位置基本相同,但肝癌细胞株HepG2膜蛋白在相对分子质量66×103处有较清晰的异常蛋白区带。结论:肝癌细胞HepG2除了具有与正常肝细胞相同的组成物质外,还有自己独特的蛋白质表达谱,这一实验可为癌症的研究提供一定的参考。     

沉积型海底微生物燃料电池构建及其影响因素研究

海底微生物燃料电池具有底物丰富、可长期运行、维护成本低和环境友好等特点,具有很好的研究价值和广阔的发展前景。但由于其低的功率密度输出和长期运行的不稳定性,使海底微生物燃料电池尚未得到广泛地实际应用。选取海底沉积泥用于实验室构建的海底微生物燃料电池装置中,比较了在不同阳极材料、阴阳极面积比、阳极修饰、阳极泥下深度条件下海底微生物燃料电池的功率密度输出及其电化学性能,得出最佳的海底微生物燃料电池阳极材料为碳毡;阴极及电极最佳面积比为1∶1;最佳阳极修饰为氨水浸渍;最佳阳极泥下深度为2 cm。