Abstract: A cooling system utilizes an organic ionic salt composition for dehumidification of an airflow. The organic ionic salt composition absorbs moisture from an inlet airflow to produce an outlet airflow with a reduce moisture from that of the inlet airflow. The organic ionic salt composition may be regenerated, wherein the absorbed moisture is expelled by heating with a heating device. The heating device may be an electrochemical heating device, such as a fuel cell, an electrochemical metal hydride heating device, an electrochemical heat pump or compressor, or a condenser of a refrigerant cycle, which may utilize an electrochemical pump or compressor. The efficiency of the cooling system may be increased by utilization of the waste heat the cooling system. The organic ionic salt composition may circulate back and forth or in a loop between a conditioner, where it absorbs moisture, to a regenerator, where moisture is desorbed by heating.

Abstract: An anion exchange membrane is made by mixing 2 trifluoroMethyl Ketone [nominal] (1.12 g, 4.53 mmol), 1 BiPhenyl (0.70 g, 4.53 mmol), methylene chloride (3.0 mL), trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFSA) (3.0 mL) to produce a pre-polymer. The pre-polymer is then functionalized to produce an anion exchange polymer. The pre-polymer may be functionalized with trimethylamine in solution with water. The pre-polymer may be imbibed into a porous scaffold material, such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene to produce a composite anion exchange membrane.

Abstract: A composite ion conducting tube is made by wrapping a support material or ion conducting sheet to from a tube having overlaps of layers that are bonded. The ion conducting sheet or tape used to make the tube may be very thin and the tube may be formed in situ by wrapping the support material and then coating with ion conducting polymer. The ion conducting tubes may be used in a pervaporation module or desalination system. The ion conducting tubes may be spirally wrapped or longitudinally wrapped and may be very thin having a tube wall thickness of no more than 25 microns.

Abstract: An anion exchange membrane is made by mixing 2 trifluoroMethyl Ketone [nominal] (1.12 g, 4.53 mmol), 1 BiPhenyl (0.70 g, 4.53 mmol), methylene chloride (3.0 mL), trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFSA) (3.0 mL) to produce a pre-polymer. The pre-polymer is then functionalized to produce an anion exchange polymer. The pre-polymer may be functionalized with trimethylamamine in solution with water. The pre-polymer may be imbibed into a porous scaffold material, such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene to produce a composite anion exchange membrane.

Abstract: An electrochemical heat transfer device for a hot water tank utilizes an electrochemical hydrogen compressor to pump hydrogen into and out of a tank having a metal hydride forming alloy therein. The absorption of hydrogen by the metal hydride forming alloy is exothermic, produces heat, and the desorption of the hydrogen from the metal hydride forming alloy is endothermic and draws heat in. An electrochemical hydrogen compressor may be configured between to tanks and pump hydrogen back and forth to form a heat transfer device, such as a hot water heater. A heat transfer device may be coupled with the tank or may comprise the outer surface of the tank to transfer heat to an object or to the surroundings. A closed loop may be configured having two tanks and one or two electrochemical hydrogen compressors to pump the hydrogen in a loop around the system.

Abstract: An electrochemical system utilizes an anion conducting layer disposed between an anode and a cathode for transporting a working fluid. The working fluid may include carbon dioxide that is dissolved in water and is partially converted to carbonic acid that is equilibrium with bicarbonate anion. An electrical potential across the anode and cathode creates a pH gradient that drives the bicarbonate anion across the anion conducting layer to the cathode, wherein it is reformed into carbon dioxide. Therefore, carbon dioxide is pumped across the anion conducting layer.

Abstract: A high water transfer electrochemical compressor is described having a ‘n’ transfer of water through the ion conducting membrane of greater than one. This may be accomplished by reducing the equivalent weight of the ion conducting polymer, such as an ionomer to less than about 900 and/or by reinforcing the low equivalent weight ionomer with a support material, such as an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. This may be accomplished by making components of the electrochemical cell hydrophilic including the electrodes and/or gas diffusion media. This may be accomplished by adding a flow component to a feed fluid or refrigerant, such as an alcohol, acid, or acetone, for example. A flow component may modify an electrode and/or the ion conducting media, by rendering them hydrophilic. A flow component may swell an ion conducting media enable high transport of the working fluid.

Abstract: A hydride heat engine produces electricity from a heat source, such as a solar heater. A plurality of metal hydride reservoirs are heated by the heating device and a working fluid comprises hydrogen is incrementally move from one metal hydride reservoir to a success metal hydride reservoir. The working fluid is passed, at a high pressure, from the last of the plurality of metal hydride reservoirs to an electro-chemical-expander. The electro-chemical-expander has an anode, a cathode, and an ionomer therebetween. The hydrogen is passed from the anode at high pressure to the cathode at lower pressure and electricity is generated. The solar heater may be a solar water heater and the hot water may heat the metal hydride reservoirs to move the hydrogen. The working fluid may move in a closed loop.

Abstract: An ion exchange membrane has multiple layers of ionic polymers which each contain substantially different chemical compositions. i.e. varying side chain lengths, varying backbone chemistries or varying ionic functionality. Utilizing completely different chemistries has utility in many applications such as fuel cells where for example, one layer can help reduce fuel crossover through the membrane. Or one layer can impart substantial hydrophobicity to the electrode formulation. Or one layer can selectively diffuse a reactant while excluding others. Also, one chemistry may allow for impartation of significant mechanical properties or chemical resistance to another more ionically conductive ionomer. The ion exchange membrane may include at least two layers with substantially different chemical properties.

Abstract: An environment control system utilizes oxygen and humidity control devices that are coupled with an enclosure to independently control the oxygen concentration and the humidity level within the enclosure. An oxygen depletion device may be an oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell that reacts with oxygen within the cell and produces water through electrochemical reactions. A desiccating device may be g, a dehumidification electrolyzer cell, a desiccator, a membrane desiccator or a condenser. A controller may control the amount of voltage and/or current provided to the oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell and therefore the rate of oxygen reduction and may control the amount of voltage and/or current provided to the dehumidification electrolyzer cell and therefore the rate of humidity reduction. The oxygen level may be determined by the measurement of voltage and a limiting current of the oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell. The enclosure may be a food or artifact enclosure.

Abstract: An anion exchange membrane is made by mixing 2 trifluoroMethyl Ketone [nominal] (1.12 g, 4.53 mmol), 1 Biphenyl (0.70 g, 4.53 mmol), methylene chloride (3.0 mL), trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFSA) (3.0 mL) to produce a pre-polymer. The pre-polymer is then functionalized to produce an anion exchange polymer. The pre-polymer may be functionalized with trimethylamine in solution with water. The pre-polymer may be imbibed into a porous scaffold material, such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene to produce a composite anion exchange membrane.

Abstract: An anion exchange ionomer is disclosed that contains a fluorinated, ether-free backbone, and a fluorinated ether based quaternary ammonium functional group. The novel polymer has improved chemical and mechanical stability as compared to the state-of-the-art materials for incorporation in anion exchange membrane. The disclosed anion exchange ionomer may be incorporated into an anion exchange membrane and used in electrochemical applications.

Abstract: A cooling systems utilizes an organic ionic salt composition for dehumidification of an airflow. The organic ionic salt composition absorbs moisture from an inlet airflow to produce an outlet airflow with a reduce moisture from that of the inlet airflow. The organic ionic salt composition may be regenerated, wherein the absorbed moisture is expelled by heating with a heating device. The heating device may be an electrochemical heating device, such as a fuel cell, an electrochemical metal hydride heating device, an electrochemical heat pump or compressor, or a condenser of a refrigerant cycle, which may utilize an electrochemical pump or compressor. The efficiency of the cooling system may be increased by utilization of the waste heat the cooling system. The organic ionic salt composition may circulate back and forth or in a loop between a conditioner, where it absorbs moisture, to a regenerator, where moisture is desorbed by heating.

Abstract: An anion exchange polymer includes aryl ether linkage free polyarylenes having aromatic/polyaromatic rings in polymer backbone and a tethered alkyl quaternary ammonium hydroxide side groups. This anion exchange polymer may be utilized in an anion exchange process and may be made into a thin anion transfer membrane. An ion transfer membrane may be mechanically reinforced having one or more layers of functional polymer based on a terphenyl backbone with quaternary ammonium functional groups and an inert porous scaffold material for reinforcement. An anion exchange membrane may have multilayers of anion exchange polymers which each containing varying types of backbones, varying degrees of functionalization, or varying functional groups to reduce ammonia crossover through the membrane.

Abstract: A high water transfer electrochemical compressor is described having a ‘n’ transfer of water through the ion conducting membrane of greater than one. This may be accomplished by reducing the equivalent weight of the ion conducting polymer, such as an ionomer to less than about 900 and/or by reinforcing the low equivalent weight ionomer with a support material, such as an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. This may be accomplished by making components of the electrochemical cell hydrophilic including the electrodes and/or gas diffusion media. This may be accomplished by adding a flow component to a feed fluid or refrigerant, such as an alcohol, acid, or acetone, for example. A flow component may modify an electrode and/or the ion conducting media, by rendering them hydrophilic. A flow component may swell an ion conducting media enable high transport of the working fluid.

Abstract: An ion exchange membrane has multiple layers of ionic polymers which each contain substantially different chemical compositions. i.e. varying side chain lengths, varying backbone chemistries or varying ionic functionality. Utilizing completely different chemistries has utility in many applications such as fuel cells where for example, one layer can help reduce fuel crossover through the membrane. Or one layer can impart substantial hydrophobicity to the electrode formulation. Or one layer can selectively diffuse a reactant while excluding others. Also, one chemistry may allow for impartation of significant mechanical properties or chemical resistance to another more ionically conductive ionomer. The ion exchange membrane may include at least two layers with substantially different chemical properties.

Abstract: An environment control system utilizes oxygen and humidity control devices that are coupled with an enclosure to independently control the oxygen concentration and the humidity level within the enclosure. An oxygen depletion device may be an oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell that reacts with oxygen within the cell and produces water through electrochemical reactions. A desiccating device may be g, a dehumidification electrolyzer cell, a desiccator, a membrane desiccator or a condenser. A controller may control the amount of voltage and/or current provided to the oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell and therefore the rate of oxygen reduction and may control the amount of voltage and/or current provided to the dehumidification electrolyzer cell and therefore the rate of humidity reduction. The oxygen level may be determined by the measurement of voltage and a limiting current of the oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell. The enclosure may be a food or artifact enclosure.

Abstract: A hydride heat engine produces electricity from a heat source, such as a solar heater. A plurality of metal hydride reservoirs are heated by the heating device and a working fluid comprises hydrogen is incrementally move from one metal hydride reservoir to a success metal hydride reservoir. The working fluid is passed, at a high pressure, from the last of the plurality of metal hydride reservoirs to an electro-chemical-expander. The electro-chemical-expander has an anode, a cathode, and an ionomer therebetween. The hydrogen is passed from the anode at high pressure to the cathode at lower pressure and electricity is generated. The solar heater may be a solar water heater and the hot water may heat the metal hydride reservoirs to move the hydrogen. The working fluid may move in a closed loop.

Abstract: Composite polyether block amide (PEBA) copolymer tubes incorporate an ultra-thin PEBA layer that enables rapid moisture transfer and exchange through the tube. A composite PEBA film may include a porous scaffold support and may be formed or incorporated into the composite PEBA tube. A porous scaffold support may be coated or imbibed with PEBA to form a composite PEBA film. A composite PEBA film may be wrapped on a mandrel or over a porous scaffold support to form a composite PEBA tube. A film layer may be applied over a wrapped composite PEBA film to secure the layers together. The film layer by applied by dipping, spraying or painting.

Abstract: An environment control system utilizes oxygen and humidity control devices that are coupled with an enclosure to independently control the oxygen concentration and the humidity level within the enclosure. An oxygen depletion device may be an oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell that reacts with oxygen within the cell and produces water through electrochemical reactions. A desiccating device may be g, a dehumidification electrolyzer cell, a desiccator, a membrane desiccator or a condenser. A controller may control the amount of voltage and/or current provided to the oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell and therefore the rate of oxygen reduction and may control the amount of voltage and/or current provided to the dehumidification electrolyzer cell and therefore the rate of humidity reduction. The oxygen level may be determined by the measurement of voltage and a limiting current of the oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell. The enclosure may be a food or artifact enclosure.