Specified Solid Electrolyte Patents (Class 429/491)
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Patent number: 8323463Abstract: A composite oxygen transport membrane having a dense layer, a porous support layer and an intermediate porous layer located between the dense layer and the porous support layer. Both the dense layer and the intermediate porous layer are formed from an ionic conductive material to conduct oxygen ions and an electrically conductive material to conduct electrons. The porous support layer has a high permeability, high porosity, and a high average pore diameter and the intermediate porous layer has a lower permeability and lower pore diameter than the porous support layer. Catalyst particles selected to promote oxidation of a combustible substance are located in the intermediate porous layer and in the porous support adjacent to the intermediate porous layer. The catalyst particles can be formed by wicking a solution of catalyst precursors through the porous support toward the intermediate porous layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2010Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.Inventors: Gervase Maxwell Christie, Jamie Robyn Wilson, Bart Antonie van Hassel
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Patent number: 8318376Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-layered polymer electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell, which is prepared by introducing an anion binding substance as a coating layer to a non-aqueous polymer electrolyte membrane for preventing the elution of acid, and a fuel cell comprising the membrane. In particular, the present invention discloses a multi-layered polymer electrolyte membrane prepared by coating an anion binding substance on a non-aqueous polymer electrolyte membrane, and a fuel cell comprising the membrane, thereby preventing the elution of acid and maintaining the performance of a fuel cell to economic and environmental profit.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2007Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Ki Yun Cho, In Chul Hwang
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Patent number: 8309266Abstract: The invention relates to fuel cell devices and systems, and methods of using and making fuel cell devices and systems. The fuel cell devices include an elongate ceramic substrate, such as a rectangular or tubular substrate, the length of which is the greatest dimension such that thermal expansion is exhibited along a dominant axis that is coextensive with the length. 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 and one or more oxidizer passages extending within an interior solid support structure of the elongate substrate, each having an associated anode and cathode, respectively, which are separated by an electrolyte. The passages include a neck-down point.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2011Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Inventors: Alan Devoe, Lambert Devoe
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Patent number: 8304134Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte composition comprising a polymer electrolyte (A component) having an ion exchange capacity of from 0.5 to 3.0 meq/g, a compound (B component) having a thioether group and a compound (C component) having an azole ring, wherein a mass ratio (B/C) of the B component to the C component is 1/99 to 99/1, and a total content of the B component and C component is 0.01 to 50% by mass based on the solid content in the polymer electrolyte composition.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2008Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Asahi Kasei E-materials CorporationInventors: Naoto Miyake, Yuichi Inoue
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Patent number: 8304135Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2009Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Nitto Denko CorporationInventors: Tooru Sugitani, Hiroyuki Nishii, Otoo Yamada, Sakura Toshikawa
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Patent number: 8304133Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a polymer electrolyte membrane including (A) a membrane formation step of forming a membrane-form product of an ionic group-containing polymer electrolyte on a support, (B) an acid treatment step of exchanging the ionic group into an acid type by bringing the membrane into contact with an inorganic acid-containing acidic liquid, (C) an acid removal step of removing a free acid in the acid-treated membrane, and (D) a drying step of drying the acid-removed membrane, wherein the steps (B) to (D) are carried out without separating the membrane from the support.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2007Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Toyo Boseki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kousuke Sasai, Hiroki Yamaguchi, Yoshimitsu Sakaguchi, Kouta Kitamura, Masahiro Yamashita
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Patent number: 8298719Abstract: Passive recovery of liquid water from the cathode side of a polymer electrolyte membrane through the design of layers on the cathode side of an MEA and through the design of the PEM, may be used to supply water to support chemical or electrochemical reactions, either internal or external to the fuel cell, to support the humidification or hydration of the anode reactants, or to support the hydration of the polymer electrolyte membrane over its major surface or some combination thereof. Such passive recovery of liquid water can simplify fuel cell power generators through the reduction or elimination of cathode liquid water recovery devices.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2007Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: University of North Florida Board of TrusteesInventors: Alex Mossman, Brian Wells, Russell Barton, Henry Voss
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Patent number: 8298718Abstract: A proton-conducting structure that exhibits favorable proton conductivity in the temperature range of not lower than 100° C., and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. After a pyrophosphate salt containing Sn, Zr, Ti or Si is mixed with phosphoric acid, the mixture is maintained at a temperature of not less than 80° C. and not more than 150° C., and thereafter maintained at a temperature of not less than 200° C. and not more than 400° C. to manufacture a proton-conducting structure. The proton-conducting structure of the present invention has a core made of tin pyrophosphate, and a coating layer formed on the surface of the core, the coating layer containing Sn and O, and having a coordination number of O with respect to Sn of grater than 6.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2011Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Yuji Zenitani, Takashi Otsuka, Tomoko Suzuki, Tomoyuki Komori
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Patent number: 8283088Abstract: An object is to provide an electrolyte membrane that maintains excellent cell characteristics for a long time under high temperature and low water retention, as this is the most important point in fuel cells. A process for producing a polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cells is provided, which process comprises in sequence: forming graft molecular chains by graft-polymerization of a vinyl silane coupling agent on a polymer film substrate that has phenyl groups capable of holding sulfonic acid groups; introducing sulfonic acid groups into phenyl groups contained in the graft molecular chains; and hydrolyzing and condensing alkoxy groups contained in the graft molecular chains so that a silane crosslinked structure is introduced between the graft molecular chains. A polymer electrolyte membrane produced by the process is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2007Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nitto Denko CorporationInventors: Masaru Yoshida, Masaharu Asano, Jinhua Chen, Yasunari Maekawa, Toshimitsu Tachibana, Yozo Nagai, Soji Nishiyama
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Patent number: 8273500Abstract: A polymer electrolyte composition obtained by mixing a plurality of ion-conductive polymers, wherein if the ion-conductive polymer that is highest in ion exchange capacity among the plurality of ion-conductive polymers is termed first ion-conductive polymer, and the ion-conductive polymer that is lowest in ion exchange capacity is termed second ion-conductive polymer, then the first ion-conductive polymer and the second ion-conductive polymer are both block copolymers composed of a segment having an ion-exchange group and a segment having substantially no ion-exchange groups, and if the weight fraction of the segment having an ion-exchange group in the first ion-conductive polymer is termed Wh1, and the weight fraction of the segment having an ion-exchange group in the second ion-conductive polymer is termed Wh2, then the relations (I) and (II) listed below are satisfied: (I) Wh1>Wh2; (II) Wh1?Wh2?0.25.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2008Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, LimitedInventors: Yasuhiro Yamashita, Diazaburo Yashiki, Mitsunori Nodono
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Patent number: 8268509Abstract: A hydrogen-permeable structure is disclosed, which includes a hydrogen-permeable base in which a fluctuation range of a d value by X-ray analysis measurement is at most 0.05% in a region within 2 ?m deep from a surface, and an oxide proton conductive film formed on a surface thereof. The disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing the hydrogen-permeable structure and a fuel cell using the hydrogen-permeable structure.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2008Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Osamu Mizuno, Ryoko Kanda, Jin-Joo Park, Satoshi Aoyama, Naoki Ito
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Publication number: 20120231368Abstract: The process for production of a scandia-stabilized zirconia sheet according to the present invention is characterized in comprising the steps of pulverizing a scandia-stabilized zirconia sintered body to obtain a scandia-stabilized zirconia sintered powder having an average particle diameter (De) determined using a transmission electron microscope of more than 0.3 ?m and not more than 1.5 ?m, and an average particle diameter (Dr) determined by a laser scattering method of more than 0.3 ?m and not more than 3.0 ?m, and a ratio (Dr/De) of the average particle diameter determined by the laser scattering method to the average particle diameter determined using the transmission electron microscope of not less than 1.0 and not more than 2.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2010Publication date: September 13, 2012Applicant: NIPPON SHOKUBAI CO., LTD.Inventors: Kazuo Hata, Norikazu Aikawa
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Patent number: 8263287Abstract: Polymer electrolyte membranes for use in fuel cells are produced by first graft polymerizing acrylic acid derivatives or vinylketone derivatives as monomers on polymer substrates and by then performing selective conversion to a sulfonic acid group of hydrogen atoms on the carbon atom adjacent to the carbonyl in the ketone or carboxyl group on the graft chains.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2008Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Japan Atomic Energy AgencyInventors: Shuichi Takahashi, Yasunari Maekawa, Shin Hasegawa
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Patent number: 8263286Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane and two gas diffusion electrodes being bonded to the membrane so that the membrane can be between them, in which assembly each gas diffusion electrode is comprised of an electrode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer, intermediate layer(s) being an ion conductor is/are arranged between the electrode catalyst layer(s) and the membrane, the ion conductor mainly comprises a block copolymer comprising a polymer block (A) having ion-conductive groups and a polymer block (B) having no ion-conductive group, both blocks phase-separate from each other, (A) forms a continuous phase, and the contact part(s) of the intermediate layer(s) with the polymer electrolyte membrane and the contact part(s) of the intermediate layer(s) with the electrode catalyst layer(s) are comprised of polymer block (A) having ion-conductive groups; and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell wherein the assembly is used.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinji Nakai, Keiji Kubo, Tomohiro Ono, Hiroyuki Ohgi
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Patent number: 8247130Abstract: A hydrogen electrode constituted of a mixed phase composed of an oxide sinter having particles of at least one member selected from Ni, Co, Fe, and Cu on a surface part thereof and coated wholly or partly with a film having mixed conductivity and a sinter having ionic conductivity is formed on a surface of an electrolyte having oxygen ion conductivity.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2009Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Norikazu Osada, Takayuki Fukasawa, Keizo Shimamura
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Patent number: 8232027Abstract: A hydrogen-permeable structure is disclosed, which includes a hydrogen-permeable base in which a fluctuation range of a d value by X-ray analysis measurement is at most 0.05% in a region within 2 ?m deep from a surface, and an oxide proton conductive film formed on a surface thereof. The disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing the hydrogen-permeable structure and a fuel cell using the hydrogen-permeable structure.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2008Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Osamu Mizuno, Ryoko Kanda, Jin-Joo Park, Satoshi Aoyama, Naoki Ito
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Patent number: 8232011Abstract: One aspect of the invention includes the discovery that pinholes in the membrane of the membrane electrode assembly may be caused by hygroexpansive ratcheting. In one embodiment of the invention, a fuel cell stack including a plurality of cells each having a membrane electrode assembly each including a membrane manufactured by an extrusion method and operated so that the rate of drying during humidity cycling is sufficiently low to reduce or eliminate build up stresses in the membrane electrode assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2006Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Michael K. Budinski, Craig S. Gittleman, Yeh-Hung Lai, Christopher Lewis, Daniel Miller
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Patent number: 8227137Abstract: A polymer membrane for a fuel cell includes a porous polymer substrate, and a crosslinked polymer layer having a proton-conductive functional group coated on at least one side of the porous polymer substrate. A method of preparing the polymer membrane includes: (1) providing a coating composition that includes a monomer or a prepolymer having the proton-conductive functional group and a crosslinking catalyst; (2) coating the coating composition on the at least one side of the porous polymer substrate; and (3) crosslinking the monomer or the prepolymer coated on the porous polymer substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2005Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hyung-Gon Noh
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Patent number: 8227138Abstract: A phosphorus containing monomer, a polymer thereof, an electrode for a fuel cell including the polymer, an electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell including the polymer, and a fuel cell including the electrode.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2008Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seongwoo Choi, Jungock Park
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Patent number: 8216727Abstract: A proton exchange membrane is obtained which can give an excellent power generation characteristic when the membrane is applied to, in particular, a fuel cell wherein high-concentration methanol is used as a fuel. In the aromatic hydrocarbon based proton exchange membrane of the invention, the ion exchange capacity is set into the range of 0.6 to 1.3 meq/g. Moreover, the area swelling rate for a 30% by mass methanol aqueous solution at 40° C. is set into the range of 2 to 30%. Preferably, a sulfonic acid group is bonded to an aromatic ring of the aromatic hydrocarbon based polymer contained in the aromatic hydrocarbon based proton exchange film. Preferably, the aromatic hydrocarbon based polymer is a polyarylene ether based polymer.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2007Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Toyo Boseki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masahiro Yamashita, Yoshimitsu Sakaguchi, Kota Kitamura
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Patent number: 8216739Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2010Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.Inventor: Sébastien Kouassi
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Patent number: 8211588Abstract: A sulfonated poly(arylene sulfone) contains an unsaturated bond. A cross-linked material may be formed from the sulfonated poly(arylene sulfone), and a clay nanocomposite may include the sulfonated poly(arylene sulfone) or the cross-linked material. A fuel cell includes the clay nanocomposite.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2010Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Korea Advanced Institute of Science and TechnologyInventors: Yeong-suk Choi, Sang-ouk Kim, Sun-hwa Lee, Won-jun Lee
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Publication number: 20120156582Abstract: The invention provides a method of operating a fuel cell comprising a solid anion exchange membrane, the method comprising contacting an anode in the fuel cell with urea, ammonia or an ammonium salt and contacting the cathode with an oxidant whereby to generate electricity.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2010Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDEInventors: Shanwen Tao, Rong Lan
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Patent number: 8202663Abstract: Improved solid acid electrolyte materials, methods of synthesizing such materials, and electrochemical devices incorporating such materials are provided. The stable electrolyte material comprises a solid acid capable undergoing rotational disorder of oxyanion groups and capable of extended operation at elevated temperatures, that is, solid acids having hydrogen bonded anion groups; a superprotonic, trigonal, tetragonal, or cubic, disordered phase; and capable of being operating at temperatures of ˜100° C. and higher.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2008Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: California Institute of TechnologyInventors: Sossina M. Haile, Ryan Merle, Dane Boysen, Sekharipuram Narayanan, Calum Chisholm
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Patent number: 8197982Abstract: A fuel cell stack is provided with a plurality of fuel cell cassettes where each fuel cell cassette has a fuel cell with an anode and cathode. The fuel cell stack includes an anode supply chimney for supplying fuel to the anode of each fuel cell cassette, an anode return chimney for removing anode exhaust from the anode of each fuel cell cassette, a cathode supply chimney for supplying oxidant to the cathode of each fuel cell cassette, and a cathode return chimney for removing cathode exhaust from the cathode of each fuel cell cassette. A first fuel cell cassette includes a flow control member disposed between the anode supply chimney and the anode return chimney or between the cathode supply chimney and the cathode return chimney such that the flow control member provides a flow restriction different from at least one other fuel cell cassettes.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2011Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Karl J. Haltiner, Jr., Arun Venkiteswaran
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Publication number: 20120140378Abstract: A rechargeable energy storage device is disclosed. In at least one embodiment the energy storage device includes an air electrode providing an electrochemical process comprising reduction and evolution of oxygen and a capacitive electrode enables an electrode process consisting of non-faradic reactions based on ion absorption/desorption and/or faradic reactions. This rechargeable energy storage device is a hybrid system of fuel cells and ultracapacitors, pseudocapacitors, and/or secondary batteries.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2010Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: IMRA AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bing TAN, Zhendong Hu, Yong Che
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Patent number: 8187765Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly according to the invention includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and an electrode joined to each of two sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane is such that some or all of the protons included in the entire solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a band region, or a non-power generating region are ion exchanged with one or more cations selected from among complex cations, class four alkylammonium cations, and high valence cations. In addition or alternatively, the solid polymer electrolyte membrane includes an organo-metalloxane polymer obtained by impregnating the entire solid polymer electrolyte membrane, the non-power generating region, or the band region with an organo-metalloxane monomer that includes an ammonium cation or a class four ammonium cation at its terminus and then hydrolyzing and polycondensing the organo-metalloxane monomer.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2007Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kensaku Kodama, Fusayoshi Miura, Yu Morimoto, Manabu Kato, Kazutaka Kimura, Hiroo Yoshikawa, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Tsutomu Ochi
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Patent number: 8187767Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane or gas diffusion electrode includes an ion-conducting polymeric material which includes moieties of formula (A) which are substituted on average with more than 1 and 3 or fewer groups (e.g. sulphonate groups) which provide ion-exchange sites and hydrogen atoms of said moieties are optionally substituted, wherein each X in said moieties of formula A independently represent an oxygen or sulphur atom. The ion conducting polymeric material is suitably prepared by controllably sulphonating a polymeric material using about 100% sulphuric acid at 34° C. to 36° C.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2004Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Victrex Manufacturing LimitedInventors: Peter Charnock, John N. Devine, Brian Wilson
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Patent number: 8182949Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane comprising as a main ingredient a block copolymer (P) which comprises, as its constituents, a vinyl alcoholic polymer block (A) and a polymer block (B) having ion-conducting groups, which block copolymer (P) is cross-linking treated, and a membrane-electrode assembly and a fuel cell using the polymer electrolyte membrane, respectively. Preferred as polymer block (B) is one having a styrene or vinylnaphthalene skeleton or a 2-(meth)acrylamido-2-methylpropane skeleton. The ion-conducting group includes a sulfonic acid group, a phosphonic acid group or the like.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2008Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Ohgi, Tomohiro Ono, Shinji Nakai, Takeshi Nakano, Takeshi Kusudou, Naoki Fujiwara
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Patent number: 8183304Abstract: A high-performance solid polyelectrolyte film is provided which is produced by the radiation-induced graft polymerization method without causing solution gelation and which is excellent in mechanical strength, chemical stability, and dimensional stability and reduced in methanol permeability. According to the present invention, the solid polyelectrolyte film is produced by graft-polymerizing either a polymerizable monomer having an alkoxysilyl group alone or the polymerizable monomer having an alkoxysilyl group and another polymerizable monomer with a resin film which has been irradiated with a radiation, followed by hydrolyzing the alkoxysilyl groups to conduct dehydrating condensation. In addition, this solid polyelectrolyte film is disposed between a fuel electrode and an air electrode to fabricate a fuel cell.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2006Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Nobuo Kawada
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Patent number: 8182658Abstract: An anode 20 of an electrochemical device 10 is connected to the cathode of a battery 30, and a cathode 22 of the electrochemical device 10 is connected to the anode of the battery. An electrolyte layer 24 containing electrolytes is arranged between the anode 20 and the cathode 22. Electrolyte layer 24 is formed by alternately laminating two types of electrolytes formed in the shape of plates. A first electrolyte is a proton conductor 26, and a second electrolyte is an oxygen ion conductor 28. A purification apparatus 120 includes a plurality of electrochemical devices 10.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2008Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota JidoshokkiInventors: Naotaka Koide, Nami Ikeda, Hiroyasu Kawauchi, Yoshifumi Kato
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Patent number: 8173712Abstract: The present invention relates to a modified inorganic material with excellent cation exchange capacity. In addition, the invention relates to a method of preparing the modified inorganic material, a composite electrolyte membrane comprising the modified inorganic material powder that has excellent methanol-repelling ability, and a fuel cell comprising the composite electrolyte membrane. The modified inorganic material includes an inorganic material, and a cation exchanger bonded to the inorganic material.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2005Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hae-kyoung Kim, Jae-sung Lee, Hyun-chul Lee, Hyuk Chang, Chang-houn Rhee
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Patent number: 8173325Abstract: A functional membrane is provided, which has high functionality combined with the gas barrier performance and mechanical strength inherent in a polymer film substrate. In particular, a polymer electrolyte membrane is provided, which is excellent in terms of high proton conductivity and gas barrier performance and is most appropriate to serve as a polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cells. A method for producing a functional membrane is provided, which comprises: a step of ion irradiation, in which active species are generated in a polymer film substrate containing nonconductive inorganic particles by irradiating the polymer film substrate with high-energy heavy ions to the extent of 104/cm2 to 1014/cm2; and a step of graft polymerization subsequent to the step of ion irradiation, in which one or more monomers selected from group A consisting of monomers containing useful functional groups are added such that the monomers are graft polymerized with the polymer film substrate.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2006Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shigeharu Takagi, Misaki Kobayashi, Toshiya Saito, Masaru Yoshida, Masaharu Asano, Tetsuya Yamaki
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Patent number: 8163439Abstract: N-heterocyclic functionalized polymers and methods of use in fuel cells. Phenoxy-substituted polyphosphazenes and phosphazene trimers functionalized with azoles can provide polymer electrolyte membranes with high thermal stability coupled with a large number of proton binding sites per monomer unit.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2009Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: The University of AkronInventors: Wiley J. Youngs, Matthew J. Panzner, Claire A. Tessier
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Patent number: 8163438Abstract: A composite electrolyte membrane uses a metal-oxide hydrate which has a number of hydration water molecules of 2.7 or more and 10 or less and/or which is in the form of particles having a particle diameter of 1 nm or more and 10 nm or less. The composite electrolyte membrane exhibits its expected original performance, has both a high proton conductivity and a low methanol permeability, and provides a high-output membrane electrolyte assembly for a fuel cell.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2008Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Takayuki Hirashige, Makoto Morishima, Mikio Kishimoto, Yuko Sawaki, Kazutaka Matsuo
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Patent number: 8158301Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane includes a porous base membrane and electrolytes dispersed within the pores of the base membrane. The electrolytes include metal oxide compounds having acid functionality. A process for making the membrane is also provided. The membrane is compatible, durable, highly conductive, mechanically strong and dimensionally stable.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2008Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David Roger Moore, Hongyi Zhou, Joyce Hung, Ryo Tamaki, Hieu Minh Duong, Marianne Elisabeth Harmon
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Patent number: 8153285Abstract: A fuel cell, fuel cell array and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The fuel cell can be made by forming a first aperture defined by a first aperture surface through a first electrode layer and forming a second aperture defined by a second aperture surface through a second electrode layer. A proton exchange membrane is laminated between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. At least a portion of the first aperture is at least partially aligned with the second aperture.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2003Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Robert E. Higashi, Khanh Q. Nguyen, Karen M. Newstrom-Peitso, Tom M. Rezachek, Roland A. Wood
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Patent number: 8153329Abstract: A proton-conducting electrolyte membrane containing a porous inorganic substrate, a porous portion of the porous inorganic substrate being filled with a proton-conducting polymer, wherein the proton-conducting polymer is a co-polymer of: (i) a monomer compound having an ethylenically unsaturated bond and a sulphonic acid group in the molecule; and (ii) a silyl compound represented by Formula (1): (R1O)n—Si—R2m??Formula (1) wherein R1 is an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R2 is an organic group capable of co-polymerizing; m and n each are an integer of 1 to 3, with the proviso that m plus n equals 4; and R2 may be the same or different when m is 2 or 3.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2005Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Takayuki Suzuki, Takato Chiba
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Patent number: 8153332Abstract: Fuel cells 100 of the invention are operable at a temperature of about 500° C. The unit cell has a solid oxide electrolyte layer formed on a hydrogen separable metal layer. An anode has a catalyst supported thereon to accelerate a reforming reaction of methane. A fuel gas is produced by reforming a hydrocarbon-containing material in a reformer 20. Setting a lower reaction temperature enables production of the fuel gas containing both methane and hydrogen. In the fuel cells 100 receiving a supply of the fuel gas, the reforming reaction of methane contained in the fuel gas proceeds simultaneously with consumption of hydrogen contained in the fuel gas. This methane reforming reaction is endothermic to absorb heat produced in the process of power generation and thereby equalizes the operation temperature of the fuel cells 100.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2004Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoshi Aoyama, Satoshi Iguchi, Koichi Numata, Masahiko Iijima, Naoki Ito
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Patent number: 8148030Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing a diaphragm for a fuel cell comprising a modified anion exchange membrane that substantially maintains durability and hydroxide ion conductivity as an electrolyte membrane and has improved resistance to methanol permeation. The process is characterized by comprising the step of impregnating at least one side of a crosslinked hydrocarbon anion exchange membrane with a polymerizable acidic compound having a weight average molecular weight of not less than 700 and less than 8000, provided that, when the acid site in the compound has been neutralized with a counter cation, the weight of the counter cation is subtracted from the molecular weight, and polymerizing the polymerizable acidic compound.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2009Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Tokuyama CorporationInventors: Takenori Isomura, Kenji Fukuta, Hiroyuki Yanagi
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Patent number: 8133635Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2007Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Nitto Denko CorporationInventor: Toshimitsu Tachibana
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Patent number: 8129072Abstract: A c-axis-oriented HAP thin film synthesized by seeded growth on a palladium hydrogen membrane substrate. An exemplary synthetic process includes electrochemical seeding on the substrate, and secondary and tertiary hydrothermal treatments under conditions that favor growth along c-axes and a-axes in sequence. By adjusting corresponding synthetic conditions, an HAP this film can be grown to a controllable thickness with a dense coverage on the underlying substrate. The thin films have relatively high proton conductivity under hydrogen atmosphere and high temperature conditions. The c-axis oriented films may be integrated into fuel cells for application in the intermediate temperature range of 200-600° C. The electrochemical-hydrothermal deposition technique may be applied to create other oriented crystal materials having optimized properties, useful for separations and catalysis as well as electronic and electrochemical applications, electrochemical membrane reactors, and in chemical sensors.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2011Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: University of RochesterInventors: Matthew Yates, Dongxia Liu
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Patent number: 8124294Abstract: Provided is a polymer electrolyte membrane including an inorganic nanoparticle bonded with a proton-conducting group, a solid acid and a proton-conducting polymer. The inorganic nanoparticle bonded with the proton-conducting group may be obtained by reacting a compound including a proton-conducting group with a metal precursor. The polymer electrolyte membrane has significantly enhanced proton conductivity and reduced methanol crossover.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2007Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jin-gyu Lee, Myung-sup Jung, Jae-jun Lee
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Patent number: 8114552Abstract: There is provided an electrode structure for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having excellent power generation performance and excellent durability and a method for manufacturing the same. Also provided is a polymer electrolyte fuel cell including the electrode structure and an electrical apparatus and a transport apparatus using the polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The electrode structure includes a polymer electrolyte membrane 2 sandwiched between a pair of electrode catalyst layers 1, 1 containing carbon particles supporting catalyst particles. The polymer electrolyte membrane 2 is made of a sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer. The sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer has an ion exchange capacity in the range of 1.7 to 2.3 meq/g, and the polymer contains a component insoluble in N-methylpyrrolidone in an amount of 70% or less relative to the total amount of the polymer, after the polymer is subjected to heat treatment for exposing it under a constant temperature atmosphere of 12° C. for 200 hours.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2007Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuichiro Hama, Masaru Iguchi, Junichi Yano, Nagayuki Kanaoka, Naoki Mitsuta
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Patent number: 8110317Abstract: The present invention readily provides an electrolyte which is capable of suppressing elution of a radical-quenching material from the electrolyte and has high proton conductivity and excellent durability. The polyelectrolyte is obtainable by chemically bonding a proton-conducting polymer having protonic acid groups to a radical-quenching material having a radical-scavenging capability via moieties other than the protonic acid groups by heating at a temperature of 60° C. or more and 250° C. or less. The proton-conducting polymer is an aromatic polymer, polyether ketone or a polyether ether ketone, or phenol resin, has a sulfonic acid group, and has a hydrogen ion exchange capacity of 0.5 meq/g or more and 10 meq/g or less. The radical-quenching material has at least one methylol group in the molecule.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2009Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsuyuki Kishi
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Publication number: 20120028164Abstract: A lithium air battery including an aqueous electrolyte. In the lithium air battery, a lithium halide is included in the aqueous electrolyte in order to prevent lithium hydroxide and a solid electrolyte from reacting with each other so as to protect the negative electrode, thereby improving electrical characteristics of the lithium air battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2011Publication date: February 2, 2012Applicants: National University Corporation Mie Uinversity, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Dong-joon LEE, Osamu YAMAMOTO, Dong-min IM, Yasuo TAKEDA, Nobuyuki IMANISHI
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Publication number: 20120021304Abstract: An electrolyte sheet for solid oxide fuel batteries with mechanical strength characteristics is proposed. These characteristics may include a high and stable average value of strength, Weibull coefficient, and a high adhesion to an electrode formed on a surface thereof and hence inhibits the electrode from interfacial separation from the electrolyte sheet. The electrolyte sheet for solid oxide fuel batteries is characterized by having a plurality of concaves and/or convexes on at least one surface thereof, the concaves and convexes having base faces which are circular or elliptic or are a rounded polygon in which the vertexes have a curved shape with a curvature radius of 0.1 ?m or larger and/or the concaves and convexes having a three-dimensional shape which is semispherical or semiellipsoidal or is a polyhedron in which the vertexes and the edges have a curved cross-sectional shape having a curvature radius of 0.1 ?m or larger.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2010Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: Nippon Shokubai Co., LtdInventors: Takeshi Satake, Fumihide Tamura, Norikazu Aikawa, Kazuo Hata
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Publication number: 20120021311Abstract: Novel mixed alkali metal borohydrides are disclosed which can be used as hydrogen storage materials. Processes for producing the mixed alkali metal borohydrides and their use in hydrogen storage devices are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2008Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: Isis Innovation LimitedInventors: William I.F. David, Marco Sommariva, Peter P. Edwards, Simon R. Johnson, Martin Owen Jones, Elizabeth Anne Nickels
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Patent number: 8101315Abstract: The invention relates to hybrid membranes that are composed of an organic polymer and an inorganic polymer, a method for producing hybrid membranes, and the use of said hybrid membranes in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. The inventive hybrid membranes comprise at least one alkaline organic polymer and at least one inorganic polymer. Said polymers are blended together at a molecular level. The inorganic polymer is formed from at least one precursor monomer when the membrane is produced. The disclosed membranes are characterized in that the same are provided with high absorptivity for doping agents, have a high degree of mechanical and thermal stability in both an undoped and doped state, and feature permanently high proton conductivity.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2008Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Elcomax Membranes GmbHInventors: Oliver Gronwald, Dieter Melzner, Ulrich Mahr, Annette Reiche
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Patent number: 8101312Abstract: A fuel cell stack include a first group of cells, provided in the vicinity of the overall negative end of a fuel cell stack, and second group of cells, provided throughout the remainder of the fuel cell stack. The first cells have a higher resistance to flooding than the second cells, and the overall polarity of the fuel cell stack is reversed, the end of the stack where the water content is largest is made overall positive.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2007Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shigetaka Hamada, Masaaki Kondo