Abstract: Provided herein are thermionic converters that are capable of operating at lower temperatures and with increased efficiency as compared to conventional thermionic converters. Also provided are methods of using and making the thermionic converters of the disclosure.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 5, 2020
Date of Patent:
March 7, 2023
Assignee:
UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
Inventors:
Abdellatif M. Yacout, Sumit Bhattacharya
Abstract: A synthesis process for forming nanodendrites. The nanodendrites are utilized in a process to form a heterojunction catalyst. Nanodendrites may include PtRu8 nanodendrites that can be oxidized through annealing to form PtRuO2. One heterojunction catalyst comprises PtRuO2 on a carbon support.
Abstract: A method of upcycling polymers to useful hydrocarbon materials. A catalyst with nanoparticles on a substrate selectively docks and cleaves longer hydrocarbon chains over shorter hydrocarbon chains. The catalyst includes metal nanoparticles in an order array on a substrate.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 22, 2020
Date of Patent:
March 7, 2023
Assignee:
UChicago Argonne, LLC
Inventors:
Massimiliano Delferro, Magali S. Ferrandon, Kenneth R. Poeppelmeier, Aaron D. Sadow, Susannah Scott, Anne M. LaPointe, Geoffrey Coates
Abstract: Atomic layer deposition is utilized to deposit a coating on a membrane. The coated membrane exhibits a tightly bound hydration layer upon exposure to water. The resultant coated membrane is oleophobic.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 31, 2018
Date of Patent:
February 28, 2023
Assignees:
UChicago Argonne, LLC, The University of Chicago
Inventors:
Hao-Cheng Yang, Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Lin Chen, Ruben Waldman
Abstract: A method of identifying molecular parameters in a complex mixture may include receiving a set of combined transition frequencies and analyzing the set of combined transition frequencies using a first trained artificial neural network to generate a plurality of separated transition frequency sets. Each of the plurality of separated frequency sets may be analyzed using a second trained artificial neural network to generate a respective set of estimated spectral parameters. The method may include identifying a set of molecular parameters corresponding to the set of separated transition frequencies.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 28, 2018
Date of Patent:
February 28, 2023
Assignee:
UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
Inventors:
Kirills Prozuments, Daniel P. Zaleski, Prasanna Balaprakash
Abstract: A method for reducing computation time while simulating quantum computation on a classical computer by performing an algorithm used to determine the most efficient input contraction, the method including receiving, by a processor, a tensor network representing a quantum circuit, computing, by the processor, an ordering for the tensor network by an ordering algorithm, contracting, by the processor, the tensor network by eliminating indices according to the ordering resulting in a contracted tensor network, and returning, by the processor, the contracted tensor network.
Abstract: A method of upcycling polymers to useful hydrocarbon materials. A catalyst with nanoparticles on a substrate selectively docks and cleaves longer hydrocarbon chains over shorter hydrocarbon chains. The nanoparticles exhibit an edge to facet ratio to provide for more interactions with the facets.
Type:
Application
Filed:
October 25, 2022
Publication date:
February 16, 2023
Applicant:
UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
Inventors:
Gokhan Celik, Kimaya Prakash Vyavhare, Robert M. Kennedy, Ryan Hackler, Ali Erdemir, Massimiliano Delferro
Abstract: Systems for creating electrodes for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells include an XY stage having a heated vacuum table physically coupled to the XY stage. The vacuum table has a working face with a plurality of channels formed therein to communicate vacuum pressure from a port coupled to a vacuum source to the channels. A sheet of perforated heat-conductive material has staggered holes configured to evenly distribute the vacuum pressure from the channels through the perforated sheet. A heat-conductive wire mesh is placed over the perforated sheet, and has openings smaller than the staggered holes such that a membrane material placed on the wire mesh is not deformed by the vacuum pressure. A nanopipette or micropipette coupled to a pump is configured to deposit electrode ink onto an exposed surface of the membrane material as the controller device causes the XY stage to move the vacuum table to control deposition of the electrode ink onto the surface of the membrane material.
Abstract: Described herein are isosorbide-based electrolytes that are inexpensive, commercially available, green, and safe electrolytes. These electrolytes include a lithium salt, a solvent represented as a compound of Formula I, and optionally, a diluent. Such electrolytes have greatly enhanced cycle and calendar life when used with Si anodes, and exhibit very low leakage currents when compared to standard carbonate-based electrolytes.
Abstract: A method of turning a catalytic material by altering the charge state of a catalyst support. The catalyst support is intercalated with a metal ion, altering the charge state to alter and/or augment the catalytic activity of the catalyst material.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 22, 2020
Date of Patent:
February 7, 2023
Assignee:
UChicago Argonne, LLC
Inventors:
David Kaphan, Massimiliano Delferro, Alon Chapovetsky, Cynthia Jeanne Jenks, Christopher S. Johnson
Abstract: Anodic materials for lithium ions batteries include a current collector and a superlattice disposed on at least a portion of the current collector, the superlattice comprising: alternating layers of an anode active material and an anode inactive material; and a plurality of channels that extend from the current collector through the alternating layers of anode active material and anode inactive material.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 5, 2019
Date of Patent:
February 7, 2023
Assignee:
UChicago Argonne, LLC
Inventors:
Zonghai Chen, Khalil Amine, Rachid Amine, Ali Abouimrane, Ozgul Keles, Billur Deniz Karahan, Osman Levent Eryilmaz
Abstract: Methods of applying as-prepared alkaline source materials for a secondary battery. The cathode includes an alkaline source material with or without coating including an alkali metal oxide, an alkali metal sulfide, an alkali metal salt, or a combination of any two or more thereof. An as-prepared spread coating layer for a secondary battery, the coating layer includes an alkaline source material, including an alkali metal oxide, an alkali metal sulfide, and an alkali metal salt, with or without coating, a conductive carbon, a catalyst, or a combination of any two or more thereof. An as-prepared electrolyte for a secondary battery, the electrolyte includes an alkaline source material including an alkali metal oxide, an alkali metal sulfide, an alkali metal salt, or a combination of any two or more thereof.
Type:
Application
Filed:
July 30, 2021
Publication date:
February 2, 2023
Applicant:
UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
Inventors:
Jiayan Shi, Khalil Amine, Chi Cheung Su, Rachid Amine
Abstract: A non-stoichiometric nanocomposite coating and method of making and using the coating. The non-stoichiometric nanocomposite coating is disposed on a base material, such as a metal or ceramic; and the nanocomposite consists essentially of a matrix of an alloy selected from the group of Cu, Ni, Pd, Pt and Re which are catalytically active for cracking of carbon bonds in oils and greases and a grain structure selected from the group of borides, carbides and nitrides.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 25, 2020
Date of Patent:
January 31, 2023
Assignee:
UChicago Argonne, LLC
Inventors:
Osman Levent Eryilmaz, Vanessa DaSilva, Ali Erdemir
Abstract: Electrocatalysts composed of single atoms or metal clusters dispersed over porous carbon support were prepared by a lithium-melt method. The new catalysts demonstrated high selectivity, high Faradic efficiency and low overpotential toward to the electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to chemicals.
Abstract: A foam electrode comprising surface treatment by the steps of: 1) impregnating soft compressible polymeric foams with a conductive coating via sequential infiltration synthesis and 2) functionalizing the chemically altered voids with an ultrathin redox coating to enhance capacitive deionization (CDI). The redox coating will allow treated foam to absorb ions under the application of a bias, and mechanical compression/decompression. The CDI apparatus uses the void volume of the foam in the uncompressed state to flow liquids through it while the compressed state is used to enhance desalination by limiting the diffusion pathways for the ions to find an adsorption surface.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 23, 2019
Date of Patent:
January 10, 2023
Assignee:
UChicago Argonne, LLC
Inventors:
Matthias John Young, Edward F. Barry, Jeffrey W. Elam
Abstract: A method for forming a melamine-modified electrode that includes providing a metal based electrode and patterning a surface of the metal-based electrode by contacting the electrode with a melamine solution to form a patterned metal-based electrode. The patterned metal-based electrode includes metal sites blocked with melamine molecules and metal sites which are not blocked such that the metal-based electrode selectively adsorbs O2 instead of at least one of sulfate, phosphate, or sulphonate. A range of 20% to 40% of the metal sites are blocked with melamine molecules.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 21, 2021
Date of Patent:
January 10, 2023
Assignee:
UChicago Argonne, LLC
Inventors:
Dusan Strmcnik, Pedro Farinazzo Bergamo Dias Martins, Milena Zorko, Haifeng Lv, Vojislav Stamenkovic
Abstract: A resin-wafer electrodeionization (RW-EDI) apparatus for purifying water for coffee brewing comprises a cathode; an anode; and multiple porous solid resin wafer exchange units arranged in a stack between the cathode and the anode, and an air distributor adapted and arranged to aerate the water to be purified. Each unit comprises a monovalent cation exchange membrane (CEM), an anion exchange membrane (AEM), and an ion exchange resin wafer between the CEM and the AEM, which is in contact with, and in fluid flow connection with the CEM and AEM. Each resin wafer comprises a cation exchange resin and an anion exchange resin. The units are oriented with the CEM facing the cathode and the AEM facing the anode, with space between the units defining ion concentrate chambers. Bipolar ion exchange membranes separate the anode and cathode from their nearest resin wafer exchange units.
Abstract: A metal-air battery includes an anode; a low-dimensional catalyst cathode; and an electrolyte; wherein: the low-dimensional catalyst cathode comprises a functional metal layer on a carbon support overcoated with a catalyst layer; the electrolyte comprises an aprotic solvent that is an ether-based solvent, a fluorinated ether-based solvent, an oligo (ethylene oxide) solvent, or a mixture of any two or more thereof; and the electrolyte is free of carbonate solvents.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 7, 2020
Date of Patent:
January 3, 2023
Assignee:
UChicago Argonne, LLC
Inventors:
Xiaoqiao Zeng, Khalil Amine, Jun Lu, Yuanyuan Guo
Abstract: A flow cell system includes a vessel and a fluid located in the vessel. A fluid surface of the fluid can be vented to a first gas pressure. The fluid surface can have a first cross-sectional area. The flow cell system includes a conduit in fluid communication with the vessel and positioned downstream of the vessel. The conduit can have a region that includes one or more orifices and has a second cross-sectional area. The second cross-sectional area can be less than the first cross-sectional area. The one or more orifices can be vented to a second gas pressure. The second gas pressure can be equal to or greater than the first gas pressure. Methods for analyzing a process fluid can include characterizing the fluid in the conduit.
Abstract: A binder solution for manufacturing silicon-based anodes useful for lithium-ion electrochemical cells is described herein. The binder solution comprises a poly(carboxylic acid) binder dissolved in a mixed solvent system comprising an amide solvent of Formula I, as described herein, and a second solvent which can be water and/or an organic solvent. The binder preferably comprises poly(acrylic acid). The mixed solvent system comprises about 10 to about 99 vol % of the amide solvent of Formula I. The binder solution is utilized as a solvent for a slurry of silicon-containing particles for preparing a silicon-containing electrode. The slurries made with the mixed solvent systems have higher viscosity and are more stable than slurries containing the same concentrations of silicon particle, carbon particles, and binder in water as the sole solvent.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 29, 2020
Date of Patent:
December 20, 2022
Assignee:
UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
Inventors:
Lu Zhang, Zhangxing Shi, Andrew Jansen, Stephen Trask