Patents by Inventor ELLAZAR V. NIANGAR

ELLAZAR V. NIANGAR 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: 20200067104
    Abstract: A method of forming a catalyst layer for a fuel cell includes electrospinning a first solution of an ionomer, a binder, and a first solvent to form a porous mat having an interior and an exterior and including a plurality of ionomer nanofibers intertwined with one another to define a plurality of pores within the interior. A portion of the plurality of ionomer nanofibers define the exterior and have an internal surface facing the interior and an external surface facing away from the interior. The method also includes electrospraying a second solution of a catalyst and a second solvent onto the porous mat such that the catalyst is disposed on each external surface and is not embedded within the plurality of pores to thereby form the catalyst layer. A catalyst layer and a fuel cell are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Swaminatha P. Kumaraguru, Mehul M. Vora, Ellazar V. Niangar
  • Publication number: 20180366738
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure include supplying a porous substrate, heating the porous substrate to produce a pre-heated substrate, applying an electrode ink to the pre-heated substrate to produce a coated substrate, and drying the electrode ink of the coated substrate to produce an electrode on the porous substrate. The pre-heated substrate has a temperature greater than 23° C. The applying occurs via a coating mechanism. The electrode ink includes a catalyst and an ionomer dispersed in a solvent. The drying occurs via a drying mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Nagappan Ramaswamy, Ellazar V. Niangar, Balasubramanian Lakshmanan
  • Patent number: 9543591
    Abstract: Electrocatalysts having non-corrosive, non-carbon support particles are provided as well as the method of making the electrocatalysts and the non-corrosive, non-carbon support particles. Embodiments of the non-corrosive, non-carbon support particle consists essentially of titanium dioxide and ruthenium dioxide. The electrocatalyst can be used in fuel cells, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Nilesh Dale, Ellazar V. Niangar, Taehee Han, Kan Huang, Gregory DiLeo
  • Patent number: 9504999
    Abstract: Methods for the rapid synthesis of catalyst are provided, as well as catalyst formed from such methods. One method of the rapid synthesis of catalyst comprises forming a homogenous solution comprising a precious metal precursor and a catalyst substrate, reducing the precious metal precursor to precious metal nanoparticles, and depositing the precious metal nanoparticles onto the catalyst substrate to form catalyst particles. The reducing and depositing steps comprise controlling a rate of increase in temperature of the solution with microwave irradiation until the solution is a predetermined temperature and maintaining the solution at the predetermined temperature with microwave irradiation. The method further comprises detecting completion of the reduction and deposition and ceasing microwave irradiation upon detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ellazar V. Niangar, Taehee Han
  • Publication number: 20160190603
    Abstract: Electrocatalysts having non-corrosive, non-carbon support particles are provided as well as the method of making the electrocatalysts and the non-corrosive, non-carbon support particles. Embodiments of the non-corrosive, non-carbon support particle consists essentially of titanium dioxide and ruthenium dioxide. The electrocatalyst can be used in fuel cells, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Nilesh Dale, Ellazar V. Niangar, Taehee Han, Kan Huang, Gregory DiLeo
  • Patent number: 9379398
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are catalyst degradation detection assemblies and methods of catalyst degradation detection that can be performed in-situ. One embodiment of an in-situ fuel cell catalyst degradation detection assembly comprises a humidified hydrogen supply configured to supply humidified hydrogen to an anode of a fuel cell, a humidified nitrogen supply configured to supply humidified nitrogen to a cathode of the fuel cell, a collection cell containing a liquid, the collection cell configured to receive either cathode exhaust from the fuel cell through a cathode exhaust line or anode exhaust from the fuel cell through an anode exhaust line and means for detecting a gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ellazar V. Niangar, Taehee Han, Nilesh Dale, Kevork Adjemian
  • Patent number: 8751082
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods of diagnosing in situ the health of a fuel cell stack while it is in operation in a vehicle. One such system of diagnosing in situ the health of a fuel cell stack while it is in operation in a vehicle comprises at least one gas sensor configured to detect a gas in exhaust from the fuel cell stack and a control unit configured to receive data from the gas sensor. The control unit has baseline data particular to a catalyst of the fuel cell stack and is programmed to determine information from the baseline data and the data from the gas sensor, the information providing a condition of the fuel cell stack. A display unit is configured to display an indication of the condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Taehee Han, Ellazar V. Niangar, Nilesh Dale, Kevork Adjemian
  • Patent number: 8722273
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of ultralow loading catalyst. Also disclosed are membrane electrode assemblies and fuel cells utilizing the ultralow loading catalyst. One embodiment of an ultralow loading catalyst includes support particles comprised of a non-precious metal catalyst material and precious metal particles supported on the support particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Taehee Han, Ellazar V. Niangar, Nilesh Dale
  • Publication number: 20140011665
    Abstract: Methods for the rapid synthesis of catalyst are provided, as well as catalyst formed from such methods. One method of the rapid synthesis of catalyst comprises forming a homogenous solution comprising a precious metal precursor and a catalyst substrate, reducing the precious metal precursor to precious metal nanoparticles, and depositing the precious metal nanoparticles onto the catalyst substrate to form catalyst particles. The reducing and depositing steps comprise controlling a rate of increase in temperature of the solution with microwave irradiation until the solution is a predetermined temperature and maintaining the solution at the predetermined temperature with microwave irradiation. The method further comprises detecting completion of the reduction and deposition and ceasing microwave irradiation upon detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ellazar V. Niangar, Taehee Han
  • Publication number: 20140004440
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of ultralow loading catalyst. Also disclosed are membrane electrode assemblies and fuel cells utilizing the ultralow loading catalyst. One embodiment of an ultralow loading catalyst includes support particles comprised of a non-precious metal catalyst material and precious metal particles supported on the support particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: TAEHEE HAN, ELLAZAR V. NIANGAR, NILESH DALE
  • Publication number: 20140001176
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus for the rapid synthesis of catalyst. One embodiment comprises a reaction chamber positioned relative to a microwave radiation generator to receive microwave radiation from the microwave generator, a temperature probe configured to detect a temperature within the reaction chamber, a reflux condenser in fluid communication with the reaction chamber and a controller. The controller receives the temperature within the reaction chamber from the temperature probe, controls production of microwave radiation by the microwave radiation generator based on the temperature received from the temperature probe to increase the temperature of the reaction chamber at a controlled rate until a predetermined temperature is reached and controls production of microwave radiation by the microwave radiation generator to maintain the temperature of the reaction chamber at the predetermined temperature until a reaction in the reaction chamber is complete.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: ELLAZAR V. NIANGAR, TAEHEE HAN
  • Patent number: 8563463
    Abstract: Methods for the rapid synthesis of catalyst are disclosed herein, as well as catalyst formed from such methods. One method of the rapid synthesis of catalyst comprises first forming a solution that comprises a solvent, a precious metal precursor, a catalyst substrate, a reducing agent and a stabilizer. The solution is homogenized. The precious metal precursor is reduced to nanoparticles of the precious metal and the nanoparticles are deposited onto the catalyst substrate to form catalyst particles. Reducing and depositing comprise increasing a temperature of the solution with microwave irradiation at a controlled rate to a predetermined temperature and holding the solution at the predetermined temperature with microwave irradiation until the reduction and depositing are detected to be complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ellazar V. Niangar, Taehee Han
  • Publication number: 20130157153
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are catalyst degradation detection assemblies and methods of catalyst degradation detection that can be performed in-situ. One embodiment of an in-situ fuel cell catalyst degradation detection assembly comprises a humidified hydrogen supply configured to supply humidified hydrogen to an anode of a fuel cell, a humidified nitrogen supply configured to supply humidified nitrogen to a cathode of the fuel cell, a collection cell containing a liquid, the collection cell configured to receive either cathode exhaust from the fuel cell through a cathode exhaust line or anode exhaust from the fuel cell through an anode exhaust line and means for detecting a gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: ELLAZAR V. NIANGAR, TAEHEE HAN, NILESH DALE, KEVORK ADJEMIAN
  • Publication number: 20130158757
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods of diagnosing in situ the health of a fuel cell stack while it is in operation in a vehicle. One such system of diagnosing in situ the health of a fuel cell stack while it is in operation in a vehicle comprises at least one gas sensor configured to detect a gas in exhaust from the fuel cell stack and a control unit configured to receive data from the gas sensor. The control unit has baseline data particular to a catalyst of the fuel cell stack and is programmed to determine information from the baseline data and the data from the gas sensor, the information providing a condition of the fuel cell stack. A display unit is configured to display an indication of the condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: TAEHEE HAN, ELLAZAR V. NIANGAR, NILESH DALE, KEVORK ADJEMIAN