Device and method for evaluating performance of fuel cells, device and method for evaluating specific surface area of fuel-cell electrode catalysts, fuel-cell electrode catalyst, and method of manufacturing the same

A device for evaluating specific surface area of electrode catalysts for fuel cells, comprising:

• a container that holds an electrode catalyst used in a fuel cell;
• a reducing agent supplier communicating with the container that supplies a reducing agent, which reduces the electrode catalyst within an operating temperature range of the fuel cell, to the container;
• a carbon monoxide supplier communicating with the container that supplied a predetermined amount of carbon monoxide to the container after reduction has been carried out by the reducing agent;
• a detector communicating with the container that detects an amount of carbon monoxide discharged from the container;
• an adsorption amount determiner that determines an amount of carbon monoxide adsorbed by the electrode catalyst based on the amount of carbon monoxide supplied by the supplier and the amount of carbon monoxide detected by the detector;
• a calculator that calculates a specific surface area of the electrode catalyst based on the determined adsorption amount;
• and
• a particle size determiner that calculates a particle size of the electrode catalyst based on the specific surface area.

A method for evaluating performance of fuel cells, comprising:

• supplying carbon monoxide to a container holding an electrode catalyst used in a fuel cell;
• determining an amount of carbon monoxide adsorbed by the electrode catalyst;
• and
• calculating an output voltage of the fuel cell based on the calculated adsorption amount.

A method for evaluating specific surface area of electrode catalysts for fuel cells, comprising:

• supplying hydrogen gas to a container holding an electrode catalyst used in a fuel cell;
• reducing the electrode catalyst within an operating temperature range of the fuel cell by means of the hydrogen gas;
• supplying carbon monoxide to the container after the reduction has been completed;
• determining an amount of carbon monoxide adsorbed by the electrode catalyst;
• calculating a specific surface area of the electrode catalyst based on the determined adsorption amount;
• and
• calculating a particle size of the electrode catalyst based on the specific surface area.

A method for evaluating gaseous-reaction electrodes, comprising:

• exposing a gaseous-reaction electrode to a carbon monoxide atmosphere;
• determining an amount of carbon monoxide adsorbed by the gaseous-reaction electrode;
• and
• evaluating performance of the gaseous-reaction electrode based on the amount of the adsorbed carbon monoxide by calculating at least one of an output voltage from the electrodes and a article size of an electrode catalyst.