874results about "Electrolyte holding means" patented technology

The present invention relates to composite solid polymer electrolyte membranes (SPEMs) which include a porous polymer substrate interpenetrated with an ion-conducting material. SPEMs of the present invention are useful in electrochemical applications, including fuel cells and electrodialysis.

A process for preparing a polymer comprising sulfonating a perfluorocyclobutane polymer with a sulfonating agent to form a sulfonated perfluorocyclobutane polymer, wherein the sulfonating agent comprises oleum or SO3 is provided. A process for preparing proton exchange membranes and fuel cells comprising the proton exchange membrane are also provided.

The present invention provides a redox flow type battery which a liquid-circulating battery comprising a battery cell and storage tanks for positive and negative electrolytes, wherein the battery cell is separated by a membrane to provide a positive cell and a negative cell, each cell having a liquid-permeable porous electrode disposed therein, wherein the positive and negative electrolytes are sulfuric acid aqueous solutions with vanadium ion concentrations of 0.5 mol / l to 8 mol / l and the electrolyte which migrates through the membrane over cycles of charge and discharge is returned from the storage tank where the liquid increases to the storage tank where the liquid decreases in order to keep the change in the amounts of the positive and negative electrolytes in a certain range while charge and discharge are carried out.

The Manclaw-Harrison Fuel Cell is a new Environmentally SAFE Fuel Cell (Lead Free, Acid Free, Mercury Free and has No Heavy Metals), and as such, it sets the definition of a new Class of Fuel Cell device because it has been verified to be a Non-Faraday device, making it the first such device discovered in the past 160+ years. See the “Preamble” for a more technical explanation.

Electrodes and electrocatalyst layers incorporating modified carbon products. The modified carbon products may advantageously enhance the properties of an electrode or electrode layer, leading to more efficiency within the a fuel cell or similar device.

A method for producing a microporous material comprising the steps of: providing an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE); providing a filler; providing a processing plasticizer; adding the filler to the UHMWPE in a mixture being in the range of from about 1:9 to about 15:1 filler to UHMWPE by weight; adding the processing plasticizer to the mixture; extruding the mixture to form a sheet from the mixture; calendering the sheet; extracting the processing plasticizer from the sheet to produce a matrix comprising UHMWPE and the filler distributed throughout the matrix; stretching the microporous material in at least one direction to a stretch ratio of at least about 1.5 to produce a stretched microporous matrix; and subsequently calendering the stretched microporous matrix to produce a microporous material which exhibits improved physical and dimensional stability properties over the stretched microporous matrix.

The present invention relates to composite solid polymer electrolyte membranes (SPEMs) which include a porous polymer substrate interpenetrated with a water soluble ion-conducting material. SPEMs of the present invention are useful in electrochemical applications, including fuel cells and electrodialysis.

A catalyzed interconnect for an SOFC electrically connects an anode and an anodic current collector and comprises a metallic substrate, which provides space between the anode and anodic current collector for fuel gas flow over at least a portion of the anode, and a catalytic coating on the metallic substrate comprising a catalyst for catalyzing hydrocarbon fuel in the fuel gas to hydrogen rich reformate. An SOFC including the catalyzed anodic inter-connect, a method for operating an SOFC, and a method for making a catalyzed anodic interconnect are also disclosed.

A membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell characterized by using, as solid polyelecrolyte of at least one of a membrane and a catalyst binder, a fluorinated sulfonic acid polymer with a monomer unit represented by the following general formula (3): (wherein Rf1 is a bivalent perfluoro-hydrocarbon group having a carbon number of from 4 to 10), wherein said fluorinated sulfonic acid polymer has melt flow rate (MFR) not higher than 100 g / 10 min at 270° C. when a —SO3H group in said polymer is converted to —SO2F.

Gas / Fluid diffusion layers incorporating modified carbon products. The modified carbon products advantageously enhance the properties of gas / fluid diffusion layers, leading to more efficiency within a fuel cell or similar device incorporating the gas / fluid diffusion layer.

An acidic group-containing solid polymer, having an acidic group such as a sulfonic acid group, a phosphoric acid group, and / or a phosphonic acid group, is dissolved in an organic solvent other than methanol. An ionic liquid is added to the solution to prepare a casting liquid. The casting liquid is subjected to casting in a cavity formed by an opening of a frame and a sheet member, each of which is composed of PTFE (fluorine-containing polymer material). Thereafter, the solvent is removed to yeild a proton conductor membrane.

The polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) of the present invention charged with a proton conductor in the collimated pores of a polymer film that is equipped with a plurality of such collimated pores in the direction of the film thickness is characterized with a relative standard deviation (LVar / LAve) equal to or below 0.3 wherein LAve and LVar represent an average value of L, distances between centers of the adjacent collimated pores and the standard deviation thereof, respectively. In addition, the PEM of the present invention can be prepared by installing a plurality of pores in the polymer film in the direction of the film thickness using photolithography and, subsequently, charging the above collimated pores with a proton conductor. Such constitution of the present invention can provide PEM with a small size, and improved performance and productivity; and also improvement of cell performance by inhibiting methanol permeation of DMFC that uses methanol as its fuel.

This invention provides a cell frame for a redox flow battery that prevents leakage of electrolyte out of the cell frame and also provides a good workability in assembling the redox flow battery. Also, this invention provides a redox flow battery using the cell frame. In the cell frame 30 for the redox flow battery 30 comprising a bipolar plate 21 and a frame 31 fitted around a periphery of the bipolar plate 21, the frame 31 has, on each side thereof, an inner seal and an outer seal to press-contact with a membrane and also seal electrolyte. The frame 31 has, on each side thereof, an inner seal groove 34 and an outer seal groove 35 for placing therein the inner seal and the outer seal, respectively, to prevent the electrolyte from leaking out, and O-rings are placed in the respective seal grooves.

A polymer electrolyte membrane obtained by subjecting a sulfonated polyarylene membrane having an initial water content of 80-300 weight % to a hot-water treatment. A composite polymer electrolyte membrane comprising a matrix made of a first sulfonated aromatic polymer having a high ion exchange capacity, and a reinforcing material constituted by a second sulfonated aromatic polymer having a low ion exchange capacity in the form of fibers or a porous membrane.

A polymer electrolyte membrane obtained by subjecting a sulfonated polyarylene membrane having an initial water content of 80-300 weight % to a hot-water treatment. A composite polymer electrolyte membrane comprising a matrix made of a first sulfonated aromatic polymer having a high ion exchange capacity, and a reinforcing material constituted by a second sulfonated aromatic polymer having a low ion exchange capacity in the form of fibers or a porous membrane.

To provide a membrane / electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, which is capable of providing high power generation performance even under a low humidity condition and has sufficient mechanical strength and dimensional stability, and which has an excellent durability even in an environment where moistening and drying are repeated, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which is capable of providing high power generation performance even under a low humidity condition.A membrane / electrode assembly 10 is used, which comprises a cathode 20 having a catalyst layer 22, an anode 30 having a catalyst layer 32, and a polymer electrolyte membrane 40 interposed between the catalyst layer 22 of the cathode 20 and the catalyst layer 32 of the anode 30, wherein at least one of the cathode 20 and the anode 30 further has a reinforcing layer 26 comprising a porous sheet-form reinforcing material made of a polymer, and an electrically conductive fiber.

The invention includes compositions comprising at least first and second polymers and optionally a third polymer wherein acid subunits, basic subunits and elastomeric subunits are contained in the polymers. In one aspect, the composition comprises a ternary polymer blend comprising an acidic polymer comprising acidic subunits, a basic polymer comprising basic subunits and an elastomeric polymer comprising elastomeric subunits. In an alternate aspect, the composition comprises a binary polymer blend which comprises acidic or basic subunits in one polymer and a copolymer comprising the other of the acidic or basic subunit and an elastomeric subunit. Such polymer compositions may be formed into a membrane having electrochemical properties which permit the use of such a membrane in an electrochemical device.

Processes, techniques, and compositions used to fabricate high performance solid acid fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies are disclosed. The techniques include preparing the solid acid electrolyte material, depositing the electrolyte membrane, depositing the electrocatalyst layer, preparing the electrodes, fabricating the gas seals, and constructing the membrane electrode assembly.

This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a metal-supported tubular micro-solid oxide fuel cell, and a fuel cell made from such method. The method comprises the steps of coating a wooden substrate member with a conductive substrate layer, coating the substrate layer with an inner electrode layer, coating the inner electrode layer with an electrolyte layer, drying and sintering the coated substrate member such that the substrate member combusts, coating the electrolyte layer with an outer electrode layer, and then drying and sintering the layers. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing a tubular solid oxide fuel cell assembly comprising: a) coating a tubular substantially metallic support layer with a ceramic or cermet inner electrode layer, b) coating the inner electrode layer with a ceramic electrolyte layer; c) coating the electrolyte layer with a ceramic or cermet outer electrode layer, then d) sintering the layers to produce a hollow tubular metal-supported fuel cell; the electrode and electrolyte layers having a collective wall thickness of 80 μm or less, the support layer having sufficient mechanical strength to support the electrode and electrolyte layers and sufficient porosity to flow a reactant therethrough.

A water insoluble interpenetrating polymer network is obtained by independently cross-linking a first polymer derived from a sulfonic acid or phosphonic acid group containing alkenyl monomer and a second polymer polymerized independently of the first polymer and interpenetrating the first polymer, where the second polymer is selectively permeable to water compared to methanol. Through adjustment of the degree of first polymer monomer acidification, polymer ratios and the extent of cross-linking in the at least two interpenetrating polymers, ion conductivity and solvent permeability are controlled. A film produced from such a water insoluble interpenetrating polymer network is well suited as a membrane in a direct methanol fuel cell. The relative degree and mechanism of cross-linking and interpenetrating the first polymer and second polymer are also adjustable parameters that impact on film properties.

A supported membrane for separation of hydrogen in a fuel cell includes a microetched foil to form a substrate. The supported membrane also includes a membrane metal of a metal alloy deposited over the substrate to form a thin metal supported membrane for hydrogen separation.

To provide a polymer electrolyte membrane having excellent size stability and excellent mechanical strength that can sufficiently prevent the size change due to the swelling condition, the displacement of the polymer electrolyte membrane and the formation of wrinkles during the production of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and can prevent damage during the production and operation of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell. In a composite electrolyte membrane including a porous reinforcement layer made of a resin and an electrolyte layer made of a polymer electrolyte and laminated at least one main surface of the reinforcement layer, the direction having a high tensile modulus of elasticity in the reinforcement layer is substantially corresponded with the direction having a high rate of size change in the electrolyte layer.

A membrane electrode assembly includes an anode, a cathode, and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode. The membrane electrode assembly has a substantially rectangular shape as a whole. Extensions extend outwardly from four corners of the membrane electrode assembly. Each of the extensions has an inclined end to have a substantially triangle shape. The membrane electrode assembly has a substantially rectangular power generation area.

An ionomer and a process for forming the ionomer such that the ionomer has (1) low equivalent weight (below 950, preferably between 625 and 850, and most preferably between 675 and 800) and (2) high conductivity (greater than 0.13 S / cm). In another embodiment, the invention is an ionomer having (1) low equivalent weight (below 950, preferably between 625 and 850, and most preferably between 675 and 800) and (2) acceptably low hydration (less than about 120 weight percent). These ionomers are capable of being processed into thin film and are extremely well-suited for low humidity or high temperature fuel cell applications.

Bipolar plates incorporating modified carbon products. The modified carbon products advantageously enhance the properties of the bipolar plates, leading to more efficiency within a fuel cell or a similar device.

A microporous polyethylene film, including a blend that contains a high density polyethylene copolymer which has a melt index (MI) of 0.1 to 100 and a content of an α-olefin unit with 3 or more carbon atoms of 0.1 to 1% by mole; and a high density polyethylene which has a viscosity average molecular weight (Mv) of at least 500000 to 5000000, wherein the above described blend has an Mv of 300000 to 4000000 and a content of an α-olefin unit with 3 or more carbon atoms of 0.01 to 1% by mole.

A microfluidic membraneless flow cell formed with multiple acidic / alkaline electrolyte solutions. The flow cell can be adapted to provide a dual electrolyte H2 / O2 fuel cell that generates thermodynamic potentials of up to 1.943 V or possibly greater. The selected fuel can be hydrogen dissolved in 0.1 M KOH, and the selected oxidant can be oxygen dissolved in 0.1 M H2SO4. Individual fuel cells can be combined to form fuel cell stacks to generate increased power output. Furthermore, microchannels of varying dimensions may be selected, including thickness variations, and different flow rates of acid / base electrolyte solutions can be applied to satisfy predetermined power generation needs. Some (micro-) fuel cell embodiments can be formed with silicon microchannels of fixed length and variable width and height, and can be used with hydrogen or formic acid as a fuel and oxygen as an oxidant, each dissolved in different acid / base electrolyte solutions. Micro-fuel cells are also provided which can be designed to generate different power levels for various applications including portable electronic devices such as wireless communication handsets and cellular telephones.

The present invention relates to composite solid polymer electrolyte membranes (SPEMs) which include a porous polymer substrate interpenetrated with an ion-conducting material. SPEMs of the present invention are useful in electrochemical applications, including fuel cells and electrodialysis.

The invention provides a proton conductive membrane excellent in heat resistance, which has sulfonic acid as ion exchange groups. The proton conductive membrane comprises a nitrogen-containing compound that can be mixed with water in arbitrary proportions and has a boiling point of not lower than 100. degree. C. and a proton conductive resin which has sulfonic acid ion-exchange groups, wherein the nitrogen-containing compound is contained in an amount of 0.5 to 10 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the proton conductive resin.