Substance occluding material and electrochemical device using it, and production method for substance occluding material

Abstract

A substance-occluding material, an electrochemical device employing same and a method of producing same are provided. The substance-occluding material wherein a substance, for example, a fullerene molecule, different from a substance to be occluded, such as hydrogen gas, is contained in the inside of a tubular material, such as carbon nanotube.

1 - 54 . (canceled).  
     
     
         55 . A substance-occluding material comprising a substance different from a substance to be occluded wherein the substance is contained in an inside of a tubular material.  
     
     
         56 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 55 , wherein the substance to be occluded is occluded in a space portion formed between the tubular material and the substance that is contained in the tubular material.  
     
     
         57 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 55 , wherein a nearest inter-atomic distance d between the tubular material and the contained substance includes about 3.4 Å≦d≦about 13 Å.  
     
     
         58 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 55 , wherein the substance-occluding material includes a catalyst metal.  
     
     
         59 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 58 , wherein the catalyst metal is contained in the contained substance.  
     
     
         60 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 58 , wherein a content of the catalyst metal in weight percentage is not more than about 10% by weight.  
     
     
         61 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 58 , wherein the catalyst metal includes a metallic material having a catalytic ability for decomposing hydrogen molecules into hydrogen atoms.  
     
     
         62 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 61 , wherein the catalyst metal includes at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd, and Pt.  
     
     
         63 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 55 , wherein the tubular material includes a carbon nanotube.  
     
     
         64 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 63 , wherein the carbon nanotube includes a single-wall carbon nanotube.  
     
     
         65 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 55 , wherein the contained substance includes a fullerene-based carbon material.  
     
     
         66 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 65 , wherein the fullerene-based carbon material includes a shell form of a carbon cluster molecule Cm, where m is a natural number such that the shell form can be formed.  
     
     
         67 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 55 , wherein the contained material is a material containing carbon atoms including nanographite.  
     
     
         68 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 55 , wherein the substance to be occluded includes a gas.  
     
     
         69 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 68 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen gas, a nitrogen gas, an oxygen gas and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         70 . A substance-occluding material comprising one or more tubular materials or rod-like materials that are densely bundled to form a bundle structure, and wherein a substance to be occluded is occluded between the tubular or rod-like materials.  
     
     
         71 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 70 , wherein a space portion for occluding the substance to be occluded is formed between the tubular or rod-like materials.  
     
     
         72 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 71 , wherein the nearest inter-atomic distance d′ in the space portion ranges from about 3.4 Å≦d′≦about 13 Å.  
     
     
         73 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 70 , wherein the substance-occluding material contains a catalyst metal.  
     
     
         74 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 73 , wherein the catalyst metal is contained at least between the tubular or rod-like materials.  
     
     
         75 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 73 , wherein a content of the catalyst metal in weight percentage is not more than about 10% by weight.  
     
     
         76 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 73 , wherein the catalyst metal includes a metallic material having a catalytic ability for decomposing hydrogen molecules into hydrogen atoms.  
     
     
         77 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 76 , wherein the catalyst metal is at least one selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd, and Pt.  
     
     
         78 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 70 , wherein the tubular material forms the bundle structure, a substance different from the substance to be occluded is contained in an inside of the tubular material, and the substance to be occluded is occluded also in the inside of the tubular material.  
     
     
         79 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 78 , wherein the substance to be occluded is occluded also in a space portion formed between the tubular material and the contained substance.  
     
     
         80 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 78 , wherein a nearest inter-atomic distance d between the tubular material and the contained substance ranges from about 3.4 Å≦d≦about 13 Å.  
     
     
         81 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 70 , wherein the tubular material includes of a carbon nanotube.  
     
     
         82 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 70 , wherein the rod-like material includes of a carbon fiber.  
     
     
         83 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 81 , wherein the carbon nanotube includes a single-wall carbon nanotube.  
     
     
         84 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 78 , wherein the contained substance includes a fullerene-based carbon material.  
     
     
         85 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 78 , wherein the contained substance contains a catalyst metal.  
     
     
         86 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 84 , wherein the fullerene-based carbon material includes a shell form of a carbon cluster molecule Cm, where m is a natural number such that the shell form can be formed.  
     
     
         87 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 78 , wherein the contained substance includes a material containing carbon atoms including nanographite.  
     
     
         88 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 70 , wherein the substance to be occluded is a gas.  
     
     
         89 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 88 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas, a nitrogen gas, an oxygen gas and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         90 . The substance-occluding material comprising a tubular material that has a multi-wall structure, wherein a space portion for occluding a substance to be occluded is formed on an innermost side of the structure.  
     
     
         91 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 90 , wherein the diameter D of the space portion includes about 3.4 Å≦D.  
     
     
         92 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 90 , wherein the tubular material forms a double-wall carbon nanotube.  
     
     
         93 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 90 , wherein the tubular material has a constitution as set forth in any one of  claims 70  to  77 .  
     
     
         94 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 90 , wherein the substance to be occluded is a gas.  
     
     
         95 . A substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 94 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen gas, a nitrogen gas, an oxygen gas and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         96 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 90 , wherein the substance-occluding material has been treated with a base.  
     
     
         97 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 96 , wherein an alkaline solution for use in the treatment has a pH ranging from about 9 to about 12.  
     
     
         98 . The substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 97 , wherein the alkaline solution includes at least one of NaOH and KOH.  
     
     
         99 . A method of producing a substance-occluding material comprising the steps of: 
 producing a material including a substance different from a substance to be occluded wherein the substance is contained within a tubular material; and    treating the material with a base.    
     
     
         100 . The method of producing a substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 99 , wherein an ultrasonic treatment is conducted in an alkaline solution.  
     
     
         101 . The method of producing a substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 100 , wherein the ultrasonic treatment is conducted for not less than about 10 minutes.  
     
     
         102 . The method of producing a substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 99 , wherein an alkaline solution as the base has a pH that ranges from about 9 to about 12.  
     
     
         103 . The method of producing a substance-occluding material as set forth in  claim 99 , wherein the base includes an alkaline solution including at least one of NaOH and KOH.  
     
     
         104 . A method of producing a substance-occluding material, the method comprising the steps of: 
 producing one or more tubular materials that are densely bundled to form a bundled structure wherein a substance to be occluded is occluded between the tubular materials; and    treating the bundled structure with a base.    
     
     
         105 . A method of producing a substance-occluding material, the method comprising the steps of: 
 producing tubular material that has a multi-wall structure wherein a space portion for occluding a substance to be occluded is formed on an innermost side of the multi-wall structure; and    treating the tubular material with a base.    
     
     
         106 . An electrochemical device comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a proton conductor clamped between both of the electrodes, the device comprising a hydrogen gas supply portion on a the first electrode, wherein hydrogen gas is supplied from the hydrogen gas supply portion, and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the second electrode, wherein a hydrogen-occluding material is used in the hydrogen gas supply portion, the hydrogen-occluding material including a substance different from a substance to be occluded wherein the substance is contained within a tubular material.  
     
     
         107 . The electrochemical device as set forth in  claim 106 , which is configured as a fuel cell.  
     
     
         108 . The electrochemical device as set forth in  claim 106 , wherein the hydrogen-occluding material has been treated with a base.  
     
     
         109 . The electrochemical device as set forth in  claim 108 , wherein the base includes an alkaline solution that has a pH ranging from about 9 to about 12.  
     
     
         110 . The electrochemical device as set forth in  claim 109 , wherein the alkaline solution includes at least one of NaOH and KOH.  
     
     
         111 . An electrochemical device comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a proton conductor clamped between both of the electrodes, the device comprising a hydrogen gas supply portion on a the first electrode, wherein hydrogen gas is supplied from the hydrogen gas supply portion, and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the second electrode, wherein a hydrogen-occluding material is used in the hydrogen gas supply portion, the hydrogen-occluding material including one or more tubular materials that are densely bundled to form a bundled structure wherein a substance to be occluded is occluded between the tubular materials.  
     
     
         112 . An electrochemical device comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a proton conductor clamped between both of the electrodes, the device comprising a hydrogen gas supply portion on a the first electrode, wherein hydrogen gas is supplied from the hydrogen gas supply portion, and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the second electrode, wherein a hydrogen-occluding material is used in the hydrogen gas supply portion, the hydrogen-occluding material including a tubular material that has a multi-wall structure wherein a space portion for occluding a substance to be occluded is formed on an innermost side of the multi-wall structure.