A fuel cell includes an electrolyte layer, a first electrode which is provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer and to which fuel is supplied, and a second electrode which is provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer and to which an oxidant is supplied. The first electrode contains an additive having an oxidation-reduction potential which is higher than a potential of formation reaction for forming a proton from the fuel and which is lower than an oxidation potential of a component contained in the first electrode.
1. A fuel cell, comprising:
an electrolyte layer;
a first electrode which is provided on one surface of the electrolyte layer and to which fuel is supplied; and
a second electrode which is provided on the other surface of the electrolyte layer and to which an oxidant is supplied, wherein
the first electrode contains:
a catalyst-supporting carbon or a catalyst containing ruthenium; and
an additive having an oxidation-reduction potential which is higher than a potential of formation reaction for forming a proton from the fuel and which is lower than an oxidation potential of the catalyst-supporting carbon or ruthenium,
the additive is a metal oxide that does not support the catalyst, and
the metal oxide is mixed with the catalyst-supporting carbon or the catalyst containing ruthenium.
2. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the additive is molybdenum oxide,
the catalyst containing ruthenium is platinum-ruthenium black, and
the amount of the molybdenum oxide is in the range of 1 to 10 weight percent of the amount of the platinum-ruthenium black.
3. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the additive is molybdenum oxide,
the catalyst-supporting carbon is platinum-supporting carbon, and
the amount of the molybdenum oxide is in the range of 1 to 25 weight percent of the amount of the platinum-supporting carbon.
4. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the additive is tungsten oxide, the catalyst-supporting carbon is platinum-ruthenium-supporting carbon, and the amount of the tungsten oxide is in the range of 1 to 25 weight percent of the amount of the platinum-ruthenium-supporting carbon.