Patents by Inventor Deryn D. Chu

Deryn D. Chu 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).

  • Publication number: 20240093387
    Abstract: An alkaline electrolyte membrane (AEM) electrolytic device is designed, assembled and evaluated for water electrolysis, composed of an anode for oxygen generation, a cathode for hydrogen generation, an AEM for anion conductive, and two internal water gas separators (IWGSs) for water supplying to the anode and the cathode, respectively, as well as for automatically separation of water and gas produced from the anode or from the cathode. There is no need of pumps for water and gas circulations and no external water gas separators (EWGSs) that are used by conventional water electrolyzers. The corrosive electrolyte is confined in the water containers and will not damage other parts in the electrolytic device. Furthermore, novel multi gas diffusion layers are used to replace the conventional single gas diffusion layer. The pore size is configurable to improve the mass transfer of electrochemical reactions and promote electrochemical reactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Rongzhong Jiang, Jiangtian Li, Deryn D. Chu, David R. Baker
  • Patent number: 11145884
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating electric power from a fuel cell are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Rongzhong Jiang, Dat Tien Tran, Deryn D. Chu
  • Publication number: 20200274178
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating electric power from a fuel cell are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Rongzhong Jiang, Dat Tien Tran, Deryn D. Chu
  • Patent number: 9537167
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fuel cell having an anode; a cathode opposing the anode; a first electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode; a second electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode; and an A/C junction electrode disposed between the first electrolyte membrane and the second electrolyte membrane, the A/C junction electrode comprising a first gas diffusion layer; a second gas diffusion layer; a current collector disposed between the first gas diffusion layer and the second gas diffusion layer; a first catalyst layer disposed between the first electrolyte membrane and the first gas diffusion layer; and a second catalyst layer disposed between the second electrolyte membrane and the second gas diffusion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Rongzhong Jiang, Dat Tien Tran, Deryn D. Chu
  • Patent number: 9127370
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating low pressure hydrogen gas from fuel solutions (i.e., alcohols) without the use of an external power source or external heat source. The apparatus comprises (a) a first chamber for fuel storage having an aperture, (b) a second chamber for the temporary storage of hydrogen gas generated having an aperture, (c) a first electrochemical cell (Cell-1) and (d) a second electrochemical cell (Cell-2). Cell-2 is disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber so that its anode is in fluid communication with the first chamber and its cathode is in fluid communication with the second chamber. Cell-1 is disposed on the opposite side of the first chamber from Cell-2 so that the anode therein is in fluid communication with the first chamber, and the cathode therein is in fluid communication with an oxidizing agent. The first chamber is sandwiched between Cell-1 and Cell-2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Rongzhong Jiang, Dat Tien Tran, Deryn D. Chu
  • Publication number: 20150207163
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fuel cell having an anode; a cathode opposing the anode; a first electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode; a second electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode; and an A/C junction electrode disposed between the first electrolyte membrane and the second electrolyte membrane, the A/C junction electrode comprising a first gas diffusion layer; a second gas diffusion layer; a current collector disposed between the first gas diffusion layer and the second gas diffusion layer; a first catalyst layer disposed between the first electrolyte membrane and the first gas diffusion layer; and a second catalyst layer disposed between the second electrolyte membrane and the second gas diffusion layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: U.S. Army Research Laboratory ATTN: RDRL-LOC-I
    Inventors: Rongzhong Jiang, Dat Tien Tran, Deryn D. Chu
  • Publication number: 20150075997
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating low pressure hydrogen gas from fuel solutions (i.e., alcohols) without the use of an external power source or external heat source. The apparatus comprises (a) a first chamber for fuel storage having an aperture, (b) a second chamber for the temporary storage of hydrogen gas generated having an aperture, (c) a first electrochemical cell (Cell-1) and (d) a second electrochemical cell (Cell-2). Cell-2 is disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber so that its anode is in fluid communication with the first chamber and its cathode is in fluid communication with the second chamber. Cell-1 is disposed on the opposite side of the first chamber from Cell-2 so that the anode therein is in fluid communication with the first chamber, and the cathode therein is in fluid communication with an oxidizing agent. The first chamber is sandwiched between Cell-1 and Cell-2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: U.S. Army Research Laboratory ATTN: RDRL-LOC-I
    Inventors: Rongzhong Jiang, Dat Tien Tran, Deryn D. Chu
  • Patent number: 7074318
    Abstract: An ionic conductive wire and method of forming an electrochemical cell in which an electric insulate tube is filled with an ionic conductive material. Terminals proximate the ends of the electric insulate tube are sealed with a fine porous material that is electric-insulate. The ionic conductive wire is movable such that it selectively connects at least two electric conductive materials to form an electrochemical cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Deryn D. Chu, Rongzhong Jiang
  • Patent number: 5650202
    Abstract: Methods of forming a platinum deposit on a nonconductive substrate are diosed, comprising the steps of hydrophobically treating a carbon black powder, forming a solution of chloroplatinic acid, suspending the hydrophobically treated carbon black powder in the chloroplatinic acid, immersing a nonconductive substrate in the chloroplatinic acid and adding formaldehyde to said chloroplatinic acid. The hydrophobically carbon black powder suspended in the chloroplatinic acid catalyzes and drives the reduction of platinum within the chloroplatinic acid toward the nonconductive substrate and reduces the chloroplatinic acid forming metallic platinum on the nonconductive substrate. In a preferred embodiment, a platinum deposit is formed on a glass substrate immersed in the chloroplatinic acid and the step of hydrophobically treating the carbon black powder is accomplished by adding a CF.sub.4 gas plasma to the carbon black powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Robert J. Mammone, Deryn D. Chu, Michael Binder