Patents by Inventor Kirk Gerdes

Kirk Gerdes 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: 20260031365
    Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure relates to method of forming an electrocatalyst structure on an electrode, comprising depositing a first layer on the electrode using atomic layer deposition (ALD), wherein the first layer comprises a plurality of discrete nanoparticles of a first electrocatalyst, and depositing one or more of a second layer on the first layer and the electrode using ALD, wherein the one or more second layer comprises a second electrocatalyst, wherein the first layer and the one or more second layers, collectively, form a multi-layer electrocatalyst structure on the electrode. Also disclosed are electrodes having a multi-layer electrocatalyst structure. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2025
    Publication date: January 29, 2026
    Inventors: Xueyan SONG, Yun CHEN, Kirk GERDES
  • Publication number: 20220320526
    Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure relates to method of forming an electrocatalyst structure on an electrode, comprising depositing a first layer on the electrode using atomic layer deposition (ALD), wherein the first layer comprises a plurality of discrete nanoparticles of a first electrocatalyst, and depositing one or more of a second layer on the first layer and the electrode using ALD, wherein the one or more second layer comprises a second electrocatalyst, wherein the first layer and the one or more second layers, collectively, form a multi-layer electrocatalyst structure on the electrode. Also disclosed are electrodes having a multi-layer electrocatalyst structure. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Xueyan SONG, Yun CHEN, Kirk GERDES
  • Patent number: 11316169
    Abstract: Described herein are methods of forming an electrocatalyst structure on an electrode, comprising depositing a first layer on the electrode using atomic layer deposition (ALD), wherein the first layer comprises a plurality of discrete nanoparticles of a first electrocatalyst, and depositing one or more of a second layer on the first layer and the electrode using ALD, wherein the one or more second layer comprises a second electrocatalyst, wherein the first layer and the one or more second layers, collectively, form a multi-layer electrocatalyst structure on the electrode. Also described are electrodes having a multi-layer electrocatalyst structure. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: West Virginia University
    Inventors: Xueyan Song, Yun Chen, Kirk Gerdes
  • Patent number: 10529975
    Abstract: One embodiment includes forming surface-modifying phases on a surface of a functional electrode via atomic layer deposition and controlling the chemistry of constituent phases, the crystalline nature of the constituent phases and the thickness of the surface-modifying phase via the atomic layer deposition such that the thickness is between about 2 nm to about 200 nm. The surface-modifying phases enhances the performance of electrocatalytic activity of the functional electrode and the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: West Virginia University
    Inventors: Xueyan Song, Yun Chen, Kirk Gerdes, Shiwoo Lee
  • Publication number: 20190379057
    Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure relates to method of forming an electrocatalyst structure on an electrode, comprising depositing a first layer on the electrode using atomic layer deposition (ALD), wherein the first layer comprises a plurality of discrete nanoparticles of a first electrocatalyst, and depositing one or more of a second layer on the first layer and the electrode using ALD, wherein the one or more second layer comprises a second electrocatalyst, wherein the first layer and the one or more second layers, collectively, form a multi-layer electrocatalyst structure on the electrode. Also disclosed are electrodes having a multi-layer electrocatalyst structure. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Xueyan Song, Yun Chen, Kirk Gerdes
  • Patent number: 9960428
    Abstract: Provided herein is a method for electrocatalyst infiltration of a porous substrate, of particular use for preparation of a cathode for a solid oxide fuel cell. The method generally comprises preparing an electrocatalyst infiltrate solution comprising an electrocatalyst, surfactant, chelating agent, and a solvent; pretreating a porous mixed ionic-electric conductive substrate; and applying the electrocatalyst infiltration solution to the porous mixed ionic-electric conductive substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Kirk Gerdes, Shiwoo Lee, Regis Dowd
  • Publication number: 20170062799
    Abstract: One embodiment includes forming surface-modifying phases on a surface of a functional electrode via atomic layer deposition and controlling the chemistry of constituent phases, the crystalline nature of the constituent phases and the thickness of the surface-modifying phase via the atomic layer deposition such that the thickness is between about 2 nm to about 200 nm. The surface-modifying phases enhances the performance of electrocatalytic activity of the functional electrode and the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Xueyan Song, Yun Chen, Kirk Gerdes, Shiwoo Lee
  • Publication number: 20160020468
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for functional grading of electrode infiltration for spatial control of activity. In one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of electrodes. At least one electrode of the plurality of electrodes comprises a non-uniform distribution of an infiltrate applied along a length of the at least one electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Kirk Gerdes, Shiwoo Lee, Suryanarayana Raju Pakalapati, Ismail Celik