Abstract: An illustrative example fuel cell component assembly includes a gas diffusion layer having a gas diffusion layer surface on one side. A microporous layer adjacent the gas diffusion layer includes a first portion having a first density and a second portion having a second density that is lower than the first density. The first portion and the second portion are arranged in a preselected pattern along the microporous layer. The first portion contacts a first section of the gas diffusion layer surface and the second portion contacts a second section of the gas diffusion layer surface.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided to allow a user to perform finger gesture motions, such as making typing, swiping, tapping, or other types of finger motions to provide device input, such as typing, clicking, or selecting data into a webpage, application, operating system, or toolbar, that was normally performed by the user having to use a keyboard, mouse, stylus, microphone, touchscreen, or another input device.

Abstract: An electrochemical device includes a plurality of electrode assemblies that define a plurality of electrochemically active areas. A non-electrically-conductive manifold includes a common manifold passage and a plurality of branch passages that extend, respectively, between the electrochemically active areas and the common manifold passage. Each of the branch passages includes a first region and a second region that differ in surface area.

Abstract: A flow battery includes a stack of manifold plates that define first and second exclusive flow circuits through the stack between first and second stack inlets and first and second stack outlets. The manifold plates each include a frame that extends around a flow field of an electrochemically active area, with a plurality of port through-holes in the frame. The through-holes are arranged in a rotationally symmetric pattern about a center of the respective manifold plate.

Abstract: A flow battery includes a cell that has a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode and an electrolyte separator layer arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. A supply/storage system is external of the at least one cell and includes first and second vessels that are fluidly connected with the at least one cell. First and second fluid electrolytes are located in the supply/storage system. The electrolyte separator layer includes a hydrated ion-exchange membrane of a polymer that has a carbon backbone chain and side chains extending from the carbon backbone chain. The side chains include hydrophilic chemical groups with water molecules attached by secondary bonding to form clusters of water domains. The clusters have an average maximum cluster size no greater than 4 nanometers, with an average number of water molecules per hydrophilic chemical group, ? (lambda), being greater than zero.

Abstract: A flow battery includes a cell stack that has electrochemically active cells and manifolds that define common manifold passages in fluid communication with the electrochemically active cells. A supply/storage system is external of the cell stack and includes at least one vessel fluidly connected with respective ones of the common manifold passages. Fluid electrolytes are in the supply/storage system. At least one of the fluid electrolytes is an ionic-conductive fluid. The manifolds extend in a length direction through the cell stack. The common manifold passages include a common manifold passage P that varies in cross-section along the length direction.

Abstract: A medical accessory holder (10) is provided for use during processing of medical equipment. The holder (10) comprises a tray portion (11), retaining means (16, 17) associated with the tray portion (11), and securing means (13) provided on the tray portion (11). The retaining means (16, 17) are adapted to engage with a medical accessory (20) such that, once engaged, the medical accessory (20) cannot be disengaged without breaking the medical accessory holder (10), thereby rendering the holder (10) suitable only for single use. The securing means (13) enable the holder (10) to be secured to an article of medical equipment with which the medical accessory (20) is associated, during processing thereof.

Abstract: Described herein is a framework to authenticate users. In accordance with one aspect of the framework, an authentication library is provided to implement an authentication process. The authentication library comprises computer-readable program code to create a request for an access token, send the request to the authorization server, deconstruct a response from the authorization server to extract the access token, and return the access token for use in accessing one or more resources.

Abstract: A flow battery includes at least a cell that has a first electrode, a second electrode and an electrolyte separator layer arranged between the electrodes. A supply/storage system is external of the cell and includes a first vessel fluidly connected in a first loop with the first electrode and a second vessel fluidly connected in a second loop with the second electrode. The first loop and the second loop are isolated from each other. The supply/storage system is configured to fluidly connect the first loop and the second loop to move a second liquid electrolyte from the second vessel into a first liquid electrolyte in the first vessel responsive to a half-cell potential at the first electrode being less than a defined threshold half-cell potential.

Abstract: An elevator system includes at least one lithium-ion battery, a temperature sensor (56, 57) operatively coupled to the at least one lithium-ion battery (44), and a lithium-ion battery charging system (50) including a controller (30) having a central processing unit (CPU) (36) interconnected functionally via a system bus to the at least one lithium-ion battery (44) and the temperature sensor (56, 57). The controller (30) further includes at least one memory (38) device thereupon stored a set of instructions which, when executed by the CPU, causes the lithium-ion battery charging system (50) to determine an expected run mode for the elevator system, sense a temperature of the lithium-ion battery (44) through the temperature sensor (56, 57) establishing a sensed temperature, and establish a state of charge (SOC) for the lithium-ion battery based on the sensed temperature and expected run mode of the elevator system.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ion-exchange membrane that includes a molecular barrier for influencing permeation selectivity through the membrane. The membrane includes fluorinated carbon backbone chains and fluorinated side chains that extend off of the fluorinated carbon backbone chains. The fluorinated side chains include acid groups for ionic conductivity. The acid groups surround and define permeable domains that are free of the fluorinated carbon backbone chains. Molecular barriers are located in the permeable domains and influence permeability through the domains.

Abstract: A method of treating a carbon electrode includes heat treating a carbon-based electrode in an environment that is above approximately 325° C. and that includes an oxidizing gas, and prior to use of the carbon-based electrode in an electro-chemical battery device, soaking the carbon-based electrode in an oxidizer solution.

Abstract: A flow battery includes at least one cell that has a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode and an electrolyte separator layer that is arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. A storage portion is fluidly connected with the at least one cell. At least one liquid electrolyte includes an electrochemically active specie and is selectively deliverable to the at least one cell. An electric circuit is coupled with the first electrode and the second electrode. The circuit includes a voltage-limiting device that is configured to limit a voltage potential across the first electrode and the second electrode in response to a transition of the at least one cell from an inactive, shut-down mode with respect to an active, charge/discharge mode.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided to allow a user to perform finger gesture motions, such as making typing, swiping, tapping, or other types of finger motions to provide device input, such as typing, clicking, or selecting data into a webpage, application, operating system, or toolbar, that was normally performed by the user having to use a keyboard, mouse, stylus, microphone, touchscreen, or another input device.

Abstract: An exemplary fuel cell component comprises a reactant distribution plate including a plurality of channels configured for facilitating gas reactant flow such that the gas reactant may be used in an electrochemical reaction for generating electricity in a fuel cell. Each of the channels has a length that corresponds to a direction of reactant gas flow along the channel. A width of each channel is generally perpendicular to the length. A depth of each channel is generally perpendicular to the width and the length. At least one of the width or the depth has at least two different dimensions at a single lengthwise location of the channel.

Abstract: A method of determining a distribution of electrolytes in a flow battery includes providing a flow battery with a fixed amount of fluid electrolyte having a common electrochemically active specie, a portion of the fluid electrolyte serving as an anolyte and a remainder of the fluid electrolyte serving as a catholyte. An average oxidation state of the common electrochemically active specie is determined in the anolyte and the catholyte and, responsive to the determined average oxidation state, a molar ratio of the common electrochemically active specie between the anolyte and the catholyte is adjusted to increase an energy discharge capacity of the flow battery for the determined average oxidation state.

Abstract: A power provider circuit includes a plurality of power delivery controllers, a single stage power supply, and control circuitry. Each of the plurality of power delivery controllers is configured to provide power to a detachable device. The single stage power supply is configured to generate the power for provision to the detachable devices, and to provide the power at a plurality of selectable voltages. The control circuitry configured to select a given voltage of the plurality of selectable voltages to be made available via all of the power delivery controllers based on power utilization capabilities and other optional status indications reported by the detachable devices.

Abstract: Described herein is a framework to authenticate users. In accordance with one aspect of the framework, an authentication library is provided to implement an authentication process. The authentication library comprises computer-readable program code to create a request for an access token, send the request to the authorization server, deconstruct a response from the authorization server to extract the access token, and return the access token for use in accessing one or more resources.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided to allow a user to perform finger gesture motions, such as making typing, swiping, tapping, or other types of finger motions to provide device input, such as typing, clicking, or selecting data into a webpage, application, operating system, or toolbar, that was normally performed by the user having to use a keyboard, mouse, stylus, microphone, touchscreen, or another input device.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes a membrane, an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer. The anode catalyst layer is on a first side of the membrane and the cathode catalyst layer is on a second side of the membrane, wherein the second side of the membrane is opposite the first side of the membrane along a first axis. The cathode catalyst layer includes agglomerates formed of a catalyst support supporting catalyst particles, an agglomerate ionomer and an inter-agglomerate ionomer. The agglomerate ionomer surrounds the agglomerates and the inter-agglomerate ionomer is in regions between the agglomerates surrounded by the agglomerate ionomer. The agglomerate ionomer is different than the inter-agglomerate. Methods to produce the catalyst layer are also provided.