Patents by Inventor Christopher L. Hartz

Christopher L. Hartz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9738982
    Abstract: This invention is an apparatus and a method for continuously generating a hydride gas of M1 which is substantially free of oxygen in a divided electrochemical cell. An impermeable partition or a combination of an impermeable partition and a porous diaphragm can be used to divide the electrochemical cell. The divided electrochemical cell has an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, wherein the cathode chamber has a cathode comprising M1, the anode chamber has an anode comprising M2 and is capable of generating oxygen, an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising a hydroxide M3OH partially filling the divided electrochemical cell. Hydride gas generated in the cathode chamber and oxygen generated in the anode chamber are removed through independent outlets. M1 can be selenium, phosphorous, silicon, metal or metal alloy, M2 is metal or metal alloy suitable for anionic oxygen generation, and M3 is NH4 or an alkali or alkaline earth metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: VERSUM MATERIALS US, LLC
    Inventors: Reinaldo Mario Machado, Athanasios Georgios Tsirukis, Christopher L. Hartz, James Robert Leenhouts, William F. Schulze
  • Publication number: 20150345037
    Abstract: This invention is an apparatus and a method for continuously generating a hydride gas of M1 which is substantially free of oxygen in a divided electrochemical cell. An impermeable partition or a combination of an impermeable partition and a porous diaphragm can be used to divide the electrochemical cell. The divided electrochemical cell has an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, wherein the cathode chamber has a cathode comprising M1, the anode chamber has an anode comprising M2 and is capable of generating oxygen, an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising a hydroxide M3OH partially filling the divided electrochemical cell. Hydride gas generated in the cathode chamber and oxygen generated in the anode chamber are removed through independent outlets. M1 can be selenium, phosphorous, silicon, metal or metal alloy, M2 is metal or metal alloy suitable for anionic oxygen generation, and M3 is NH4 or an alkali or alkaline earth metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Reinaldo Mario Machado, Athanasios Georgios Tsirukis, Christopher L. Hartz, James Robert Leenhouts, William F. Schulze
  • Patent number: 8591720
    Abstract: A method for generating hydride gas of metal M1 in electrochemical cell comprising cathode comprising metal M1, sacrificial anode comprising metal M2, an initial concentration of aqueous electrolyte solution comprising metal hydroxide M3OH, wherein the sacrificial metal anode electrochemically oxidizes in the presence of the aqueous electrolyte solution to form metal salt, and hydride gas of metal M1 is formed by reducing the metal M1 of the cathode. The method also comprises steps of determining solubility profile curves of metal salt as M3OH is consumed and metal oxide is formed by oxidation reaction at various concentrations of M3OH; determining the maximum concentration of M3OH that does not yield a concentration of metal salt that precipitates out of the electrolyte solution; and choosing a concentration of M3OH that is in the range of at and within 5% less than the maximum concentration of M3OH to be the initial concentration of M3OH.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Reinaldo Mario Machado, Christopher L. Hartz, James E. Hollen, Rebecca J. Mohr, George L. Ryals
  • Publication number: 20120205252
    Abstract: A method for generating hydride gas of metal M1 in electrochemical cell comprising cathode comprising metal M1, sacrificial anode comprising metal M2, an initial concentration of aqueous electrolyte solution comprising metal hydroxide M3OH, wherein the sacrificial metal anode electrochemically oxidizes in the presence of the aqueous electrolyte solution to form metal salt, and hydride gas of metal M1 is formed by reducing the metal M1 of the cathode. The method also comprises steps of determining solubility profile curves of metal salt as M3OH is consumed and metal oxide is formed by oxidation reaction at various concentrations of M3OH; determining the maximum concentration of M3OH that does not yield a concentration of metal salt that precipitates out of the electrolyte solution; and choosing a concentration of M3OH that is in the range of at and within 5% less than the maximum concentration of M3OH to be the initial concentration of M3OH.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Reinaldo Mario Machado, Christopher L. Hartz, James E. Hollen, Rebecca J. Mohr, George L. Ryals
  • Patent number: 8021536
    Abstract: A method for generating a hydride gas of metal M1 in an electrochemical cell comprising a cathode comprising metal M1, a sacrificial anode comprising metal M2, an initial concentration of aqueous electrolyte solution comprising a metal hydroxide, M3OH, wherein the sacrificial metal anode electrochemically oxidizes in the presence of the aqueous electrolyte solution comprising M3OH to form a metal salt, and the hydride gas of metal M1 is formed by reducing the metal M1 of the cathode. The method comprises the steps of determining solubility profile curves of the metal salt as the M3OH is consumed and the metal oxide is formed by the oxidation reaction at various concentrations of M3OH; determining a maximum concentration of M3OH that, as it is consumed, does not yield a concentration of metal salt that precipitates out of the electrolyte solution; and choosing a concentration of M3OH that is in the range of at and within 5% less than the maximum concentration of M3OH to be the initial concentration of M3OH.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemical, Inc.
    Inventors: Reinaldo Mario Machado, Christopher L. Hartz, James E. Hollen, Rebecca J. Mohr, George L. Ryals
  • Publication number: 20090159454
    Abstract: This invention is an apparatus and a method for continuously generating a hydride gas of metal M1 which is substantially free of oxygen in a divided electrochemical cell. An impermeable partition or a combination of an impermeable partition and a porous diaphragm can be used to divide the electrochemical cell. The divided electrochemical cell has an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, wherein the cathode chamber has a cathode comprising metal M1, the anode chamber has an anode capable of generating oxygen, an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising a metal hydroxide M2OH partially filling the divided electrochemical cell. Hydride gas generated in the cathode chamber and oxygen generated in the anode chamber are removed through independent outlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: REINALDO MARIO MACHADO, ATHANASIOS GEORGIOS TSIRUKIS, CHRISTOPHER L. HARTZ, JAMES ROBERT LEENHOUTS, WILLIAM F. SCHULZE
  • Publication number: 20070240997
    Abstract: A method for generating a hydride gas of metal M1 in an electrochemical cell comprising a cathode comprising metal M1, a sacrificial anode comprising metal M2, an initial concentration of aqueous electrolyte solution comprising a metal hydroxide, M3OH, wherein the sacrificial metal anode electrochemically oxidizes in the presence of the aqueous electrolyte solution comprising M3OH to form a metal salt, and the hydride gas of metal M1 is formed by reducing the metal M1 of the cathode. The method comprises the steps of determining solubility profile curves of the metal salt as the M3OH is consumed and the metal oxide is formed by the oxidation reaction at various concentrations of M3OH; determining a maximum concentration of M3OH that, as it is consumed, does not yield a concentration of metal salt that precipitates out of the electrolyte solution; and choosing a concentration of M3OH that is in the range of at and within 5% less than the maximum concentration of M3OH to be the initial concentration of M3OH.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventors: Reinaldo Mario Machado, Christopher L. Hartz, James E. Hollen, Rebecca J. Mohr, George L. Ryals