Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for producing an ionic liquid, the method comprising: reacting a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound or an amine-based compound with an ammonium salt along with trialkyl orthoformate to acquire an alkylated nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound or an alkylated nitrogen-containing amine-based compound, wherein the alkylated nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound or the alkylated nitrogen-containing amine-based compound as a cation of the ionic liquid is ionically bonded to an anion included in the ammonium salt to form the ionic liquid.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte including a layered metal oxide represented by the formula (1), (La1-xAx)(Sr1-yBy)3(Co1-zCz)3O10-???(1) [wherein A represents a rare earth element other than La; B represents Mg, Ca, or Ba; C represents Ti, V, Cr, or Mn; 0?x<1, 0?y<1, 0?z<1; and ? represents an oxygen deficiency amount].

Abstract: A composite electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell with a controlled phosphoric acid-based material retention ratio. The composite electrolyte membrane includes an electrolyte membrane containing a compound having a phosphoric acid-based material-containing functional group. Also disclosed are a method for manufacturing the composite electrolyte membrane, and a fuel cell including the composite electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: A bonding layer, disposed between an interconnect layer and an electrode layer of a solid oxide fuel cell article, may be formed from a yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) powder having a monomodal particle size distribution (PSD) with a d50 that is greater than about 1 ?m and a d90 that is greater than about 2 ?m.

Abstract: A polymer-electrolyte membrane is presented. The polymer-electrolyte membrane comprises an acid-functional polymer, and an additive incorporated in at least a portion of the membrane. The additive comprises a fluorinated cycloaliphatic additive, a hydrophobic cycloaliphatic additive, or combinations thereof, wherein the additive has a boiling point greater than about 120° C. An electrochemical fuel cell including the polymer-electrolyte membrane, and a related method, are also presented.

Abstract: A unitized regenerative fuel cell (URFC) employs a molten salt electrolyte for negative ion transfer by operating at temperatures above that of aqueous reactants for supporting gas-phase reactants, and the molten salt mitigates the need for reactant based catalysts by serving the dual role of the electrolyte as well as an optional catalyst or catalyst solvent. The molten-salt electrolyte (MSE) hydrogen-halogen unitized regenerative fuel cell is adaptable for microgrid electricity storage applications. Configurations herein employ a molten-salt electrolyte and a closed system of the reactants for cycling between charge and discharge modes. The URFC employs reactants including hydrogen and halogen as the oxidant, which is more reactive and energy efficient than oxygen employed in conventional URFCs, and avoids platinum electrodes by employing a high temperature, gas-phase, system which further reduces reactant crossover issues.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for charging the cell by electrodeposition of metal fuel on the anode thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer blend proton exchange membrane comprising a soluble polymer and a sulfonated polymer, wherein the soluble polymer is at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polysulfone, polyethersulfone and polyvinylidene fluoride, the sulfonated polymer is at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated poly(ether-ether-ketone), sulfonated poly(ether-ketone-ether-ketone-ketone), sulfonated poly(phthalazinone ether ketone), sulfonated phenolphthalein poly (ether sulfone), sulfonated polyimides, sulfonated polyphosphazene and sulfonated polybenzimidazole, and wherein the degree of sulfonation of the sulfonated polymer is in the range of 96% to 118%. The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing the polymer blend proton exchange membrane.

Abstract: An electrochemical power system is provided that generates an electromotive force (EMF) from the catalytic reaction of hydrogen to lower energy (hydrino) states providing direct conversion of the energy released from the hydrino reaction into electricity, the system comprising at least two components chosen from: a catalyst or a source of catalyst; atomic hydrogen or a source of atomic hydrogen; reactants to form the catalyst or source of catalyst and atomic hydrogen or source of atomic hydrogen, and one or more reactants to initiate the catalysis of atomic hydrogen. The electrochemical power system for forming hydrinos and electricity can farther comprise a cathode compartment comprising a cathode, an anode compartment comprising an anode, optionally a salt bridge, reactants that constitute hydrino reactants during cell operation with separate electron flow and ion mass transport, and a source of hydrogen.

Abstract: A metal oxide thin film structure for a solid oxide fuel cell, prepared by a method comprising dispersing a metal oxide nanopowder in a metal oxide salt solution and subsequent coating of the resulting metal oxide powder dispersed sol and the metal oxide salt solution on a porous substrate, has excellent gas impermeability, excellent phase stability, and is devoid of cracks or pinholes.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell electrolyte is fabricated by combining an yttria-stabilized zirconia powder with ?-Al2O3 having a d50 particle size in a range of between about 10 nm and about 200 nm and Mn2O3 to form an electrolyte precursor composition, and then sintering the electrolyte precursor composition to thereby form the electrolyte. The ?-Al2O3 and Mn2O3 can be present in the electrolyte precursor composition in an amount in a range of between about 0.25 mol % and about 5 mol %. The electrolyte can be a component of a solid oxide fuel cell of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for charging the cell by electrodeposition of metal fuel on the anode thereof.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a proton-conductive polymer electrolyte membrane using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a base material and having excellent proton conductivity and methanol blocking properties is provided. The method includes: heat-treating a precursor membrane including PVA and a water-soluble polymer electrolyte having a proton conductive group to proceed crystallization of the PVA; and chemically crosslinking the heat-treated precursor membrane with a crosslinking agent reactive with the PVA, to form a polymer electrolyte membrane in which a crosslinked PVA is a base material and protons are conducted through the electrolyte retained in the base material. The content of a water-soluble polymer except the PVA and the water-soluble polymer electrolyte in the precursor membrane is in a weight ratio of less than 0.1 with respect to the PVA.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fuel cell devices and fuel cell systems, methods of using fuel cell devices and systems, and methods of making fuel cell devices. According to certain embodiments, the fuel cell devices may include an elongate substrate, such as a rectangular or tubular substrate, the length of which is the greatest dimension such that the coefficient of thermal expansion has only one dominant axis that is coextensive with the length. In addition, or in accordance with other certain embodiments, a reaction zone is positioned along a first portion of the length for heating to an operating reaction temperature, and at least one cold zone is positioned along a second portion of the length for operating at a temperature below the operating reaction temperature. There are one or more fuel passages in the elongate substrate, each having an associate anode, and one or more oxidizer passages in the elongate substrate, each having an associate cathode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making fuel cell devices. Anode and cathode layers are applied on respective first and opposing second sides of a first portion of a first green ceramic layer, and a second green ceramic layer of thickness approximately equal to that of the anode and cathode layers is applied on a second portion of each of the first and second sides of the first green ceramic layer. A sacrificial layer is applied over each of the anode, cathode and second green ceramic layers, and a third green ceramic layer is applied over the sacrificial layers. The layered structure is heated to sinter all the layers and burn out the sacrificial layers. A pair of gas passages is thus formed with a thick sintered ceramic therebetween as a passive supporting portion and an anode, thin electrolyte and cathode therebetween as an active portion of the device.

Abstract: A support wafer made of silicon wafer comprising, on a first surface a porous silicon layer having protrusions, porous silicon pillars extending from the porous silicon layer to the second surface of the wafer, in front of each protrusion. Layers constituting a fuel cell can be formed on the support wafer.

Abstract: A method is provided for reducing degradation in a fuel cell assembly, including at least one fuel cell with a PBI membrane, during standby, operation. The method may include electrochemically consuming an oxidant from a cathode coupled to the PBI membrane in response to a disconnection of an external load and supplying fuel to remove or electrochemically consume any back-diffused oxidant to the associated fuel cell sufficient to replace or consume the back-diffused oxidant while the external load is removed, and/or also may include controlling a standby temperature of the fuel cell. In this way, it may be possible to avoid increased cell voltage decay associated with degradation of the PBI in a simple and cost effective system.

Abstract: A liquid electrolyte composed of a base A and phosphoric acid B in a molar ratio A:B in a range of 1:3 to 1:50 having a solidification temperature of lower than ?30° C.; and a composite electrolyte membrane comprising a porous body impregnated with such a liquid electrolyte.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrolyte membrane including a graft polymer having a sulfonic acid group as a proton conductive group, in which, when the electrolyte membrane is divided into four equal parts in a thickness direction thereof, a content of the sulfonic acid group in each of outer regions is larger than a content of the sulfonic acid group in each of inner regions; in which A1, A2, B1 and B2 satisfy the following formula: 1.5?(A1+A2)/(B1+B2)?8, in which A1 and A2 each represent a maximum value of a distribution amount of the sulfonic acid group in each of the two outer regions, and B1 and B2 each represent an average value of a maximum value and a minimum value of a distribution amount of the sulfonic acid group in each of the two inner regions; and in which the electrolyte membrane has an ion-exchange capacity of 0.5 to 2 meq/g.

Abstract: A method is provided for reducing degradation in a fuel cell assembly, including at least one fuel cell with a PBI membrane, during standby, operation. The method may include electrochemically consuming an oxidant from a cathode coupled to the PBI membrane in response to a disconnection of an external load and supplying fuel to remove or electrochemically consume any back-diffused oxidant to the associated fuel cell sufficient to replace or consume the back-diffused oxidant while the external load is removed, and/or also may include controlling a standby temperature of the fuel cell. In this way, it may be possible to avoid increased cell voltage decay associated with degradation of the PBI in a simple and cost effective system.

Abstract: A system and a method for suppressing the build up of metal carbonates in the electrolyte, using a porous cell separator is used to allow the use of different electrolyte compositions around the anode (anolyte) and the cathode (catholyte). This cell configuration enables the oxygen cathode to operate in a molten hydroxide electrolyte, and the carbon anode to operate in mixed carbonate-hydroxide melt, so that most of the advantages of using a molten hydroxide electrolyte will be retained.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electrochemical device which comprises a molding containing as a main ingredient a copolymer (Z) and at least two mutually insulated electrodes in joint with the molding, wherein the copolymer (Z) comprises a polymer block (A) having as a main unit an aromatic vinyl compound unit and a polymer block (B) being incompatible with the polymer block (A), and has ion-conducting groups on the polymer block (A). The electrochemical device of the invention can be used particularly as an actuator device.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell has superior power generation characteristics under low humidity conditions and superior starting characteristics under low temperature conditions. In the membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which a polymer electrolyte membrane is disposed between a pair of electrodes containing a catalyst, the polymer electrolyte membrane has a polymer segment A having an ion conductive component and a polymer segment B not having an ion conductive component. Furthermore, in the case in which the polymer electrolyte membrane is immersed in water at 90° C. for 30 minutes, absorbed water which exhibits a thawing temperature of from ?30 to 0° C. is in a range from 0.01 to 3.0 g per 1 g of the polymer.

Abstract: A fuel cell in which carbon and water react to form hydrogen or water. The cells utilize electrolyte materials that hold or coordinate water to allow the useful reaction of carbon and water at moderate temperatures without the use of expensive pressure reactors. Activated carbon or carbon recovered from organic waste is used to fuel these cells to produce hydrogen gas or carbon dioxide and power at moderate temperatures and at very low cost.

Abstract: A redox flow cell is presented that utilizes a porous membrane separating a first half cell and a second half cell. The porous membrane is chosen to have a figure of merit (FOM) is at least a minimum FOM. A method of providing a porous membrane for a flow cell can include determining a figure of merit; determining a first parameter from a pore size or a thickness for the porous membrane; determining a second parameter from the pore size or the thickness that is not the first parameter for the porous membrane, based on the figure of merit; and constructing a porous membrane having the pore size and the thickness.

Abstract: A method according to the present invention is a method for producing an ionic liquid from a molten salt solution containing a molten salt constituted by combining the cation portion and the anion portion, the ionic liquid containing the molten salt as a main component, the method comprising: removing water from the molten salt solution, the step of removing the water including adding a compound in the molten salt solution, the compound being represented by General Formula (1): where at least two of R1 to R4 are a C1 to C8 alkoxy group(s), the rest of R1 to R4 are a hydrogen atom(s) or a C1 to C8 alkyl group(s). By this, it is possible to remove water from the molten salt solution regardless of whether the molten salt solution is hydrophilic or hydrophobic. The present invention provides a method of producing an ionic liquid, which method can remove water from any kind of ionic liquid economically, easily, and quickly.

Abstract: A phosphoric acid fuel cell system comprising a porous electrolyte support, a phosphoric acid electrolyte in the porous electrolyte support, a cathode electrode contacting the phosphoric acid electrolyte, and an anode electrode contacting the phosphoric acid electrolyte.

Abstract: Provided is a reinforced matrix for molten carbonate fuel cell, wherein a mechanical strength of the matrix is increased by adding a reinforcing agent having a low melting point.

Abstract: A phosphoric acid fuel cell system comprising a porous electrolyte support, a phosphoric acid electrolyte in the porous electrolyte support, a cathode electrode contacting the phosphoric acid electrolyte, and an anode electrode contacting the phosphoric acid electrolyte.