Method for producing crystals comprising fullerene molecules and fullerene nanowhisker/nanofiber nanotubes

Abstract

A membrane/electrode assembly of a fuel cell using a film obtained by molding a mixture in which a synthetic resin and a solvent are mixed with fullerene nanowhisker/nanofiber nanotubes supporting a catalyst or including a catalyst in fullerene crystals, wherein the fullerene nanowhisker/nanofiber nanotubes are obtained by uniformly stirring and mixing a solution containing a first solvent having fullerene dissolved therein, and a second solvent in which fullerene is less soluble than that in the first solvent, in a thin film fluid formed between processing surfaces arranged to be opposite to each other so as to be able to approach to and separate from each other, at least one of which rotates relative to the other, and the resultant fullerene nanowhisker/nanofiber nanotubes are heated at 300° C. to 1000° C. in a vacuum heating furnace.

1 . A membrane/electrode assembly of a fuel cell using a film obtained by molding a mixture in which a synthetic resin and a solvent are mixed with fullerene nanowhisker/nanofiber nanotubes supporting a catalyst or including a catalyst in fullerene crystals,
 wherein the fullerene nanowhisker/nanofiber nanotubes are obtained by uniformly stirring and mixing a solution containing a first solvent having fullerene dissolved therein, and a second solvent in which fullerene is less soluble than that in the first solvent, in a thin film fluid formed between processing surfaces arranged to be opposite to each other so as to be able to approach to and separate from each other, at least one of which rotates relative to the other, and the resultant fullerene nanowhisker/nanofiber nanotubes are heated at 300° C. to 1000° C. in a vacuum heating furnace.   
     
     
         2 . The membrane/electrode assembly of the fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein a solution in which one or more precursors of a metal capable of serving as a catalyst are dissolved in said second solvent is used. 
     
     
         3 . The membrane/electrode assembly of the fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein a solution obtained by adding a platinum derivative of fullerene to the solution containing a first solvent having fullerene dissolved therein is used. 
     
     
         4 . The membrane/electrode assembly of the fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein a solution in which at least one catalyst selected from Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 , PtCl 4 , Cu, Ru/PtCl 4 , Ru, and Pt is dissolved in the second solvent is used. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus for producing crystals comprising fullerene molecules and fullerene nanowhisker/nanofiber nanotubes, comprising processing surfaces arranged to be opposite to each other so as to be able to approach to and separate from each other, at least one of which rotates relative to the other, wherein use is made to carryout a method comprising uniformly stirring and mixing a solution containing a first solvent having fullerene dissolved therein, and a second solvent in which fullerene is less soluble than that in the first solvent, in a thin film fluid formed between the processing surfaces arranged to be opposite to each other so as to be able to approach to and separate from each other, at least one of which rotates relative to the other. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , comprising:
 a fluid pressure imparting mechanism for imparting predetermined pressure to a fluid to be processed;   at least two processing members of a first processing member and a second processing member, the second processing member being capable of approaching to and separating from the first processing member, said processing surfaces including a first processing surface provided by the first processing member, and a second processing surface provided by the second processing member; and   a rotation drive mechanism for rotating the first processing member and the second processing member relative to each other,   wherein:   
       of the first and second processing members, at least the second processing member is provided with a pressure-receiving surface, and at least part of the pressure-receiving surface is comprised of the second processing surface, and
 the pressure-receiving surface receives pressure applied by the fluid pressure imparting mechanism thereby generating a force to move in the direction of separating the second processing surface from the first processing surface.