Abstract: A hydrogen generator apparatus that delivers a hydrogen stream at a controlled rate to a fuel cell. The apparatus comprises a fuel tank, a wicking material in the fuel tank, a fluid retained in the wicking material, a first disc bounding the wicking material and comprising a hydrophilic membrane for receiving the fluid from the wicking material by a wicking pressure to form a fluid-wetted surface, a second disc having a porous surface area with the second disc being in contact with the first disc with the two discs moveable relative to each other, a catalyst on the porous surface to form a catalyst-coated surface, and hydrogen generated by hydrolyzation of the fluid contacting the catalyst due to a relative motion between the first disc and the second disc.

Abstract: A dissolved-fuel alkaline fuel cell that comprises four main components: a) a fuel anode; b) a first oxygen cathode; c) an electrolyte in ionic contact with the anode and the first cathode, wherein the electrolyte comprises an alkaline solution and a first fuel dissolved in the alkaline solution; and d) a fuel reservoir comprising a solid fuel in physical contact with or in feeding relation to the alkaline solution. The first fuel and/or the solid fuel may be selected from the group consisting of NaBH4, KBH4, LiAlH4, KH, NaH, LiBH4, NaAlH4, (CH3)3NHBH3, NaCNBH3, CaH2, LiH, Na2S2O3, Na2HPO3, Na2HPO2, K2S2O3, K2HPO3, K2HPO2, NaCOOH and KCOOH. However, NaBH4 and KBH4 are the best choices for use as a fuel. The fuel reservoir can readily replenish a fuel into the electrolyte-fuel mixture or solution to ensure that the fuel cell continuously generates electrical current without an interruption or a voltage spike.

Abstract: An inorganic proton-conducting membrane and a fuel cell comprising this membrane. The fuel cell comprises a fuel anode, an oxidant cathode, and an inorganic proton-conducting membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode. The membrane is composed of a nano-structured network of proton-exchange inorganic particles. The particles form a sufficiently high density of proton-conducting nanometer-scaled channels with at least one dimension smaller than 100 nanometers so that ionic conductivity of the membrane is no less than 10?6 S/cm (mostly greater than 10?4 S/cm ) at 25° C. or no less than 10?4 S/cm (mostly greater than 10?2 S/cm) at 200° C. This inorganic membrane allows a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell to operate at a higher temperature without the need (or with a reduced need) to maintain the membrane in a highly hydrated state. A higher operating temperature also implies a fast electro-catalytic reaction of a fuel (e.g.

Abstract: Core-shell glass micro-spheres with a glass shell and a hollow or porous core for storing and releasing hydrogen fuel. The shell comprises a glass composition with a glass transition temperature (Tg) below 450° C. (preferably below 300° C. and most preferably below 200° C.) and a heat-absorbing materials, preferably comprising an infrared-absorbing ingredient. A combination of low Tg and the presence of an IR-absorbing material makes it possible to readily achieve a desired temperature T to reduce the shell tensile strength ?t to an extent that a tensile stress a experienced by a shell of the micro-spheres meets the condition of a ????t for causing hydrogen to diffuse out of the micro-spheres. The released hydrogen can be fed into a fuel cell or hydrogen combustion engine. Here, ? is a material-specific constant, typically in the range of 0.3 to 0.7.

Abstract: A direct write or freeform fabrication apparatus and process for making a device or a three-dimensional object. By way of example the method comprises: (a) providing a target surface on an object-supporting platform; (b) operating a material deposition sub-system comprising a liquid deposition device for dispensing at least a liquid composition and a solid powder-dispensing device for dispensing solid powder particles to selected locations on the target surface; (c) operating a directed energy source for supplying energy to the dispensed liquid composition and the dispensed powder particles to induce a chemical reaction or physical transition thereof at the selected locations; and (d) moving the deposition sub-system and the object-supporting platform relative to one another in a plane defined by first and second directions to form the dispensed liquid composition and the dispensed powder particles into the device or object. An apparatus is also provided for carrying out this process.

Abstract: A process for producing nano-scaled graphene plates with each plate comprising a sheet of graphite plane or multiple sheets of graphite plane with the graphite plane comprising a two-dimensional hexagonal structure of carbon atoms. The process includes the primary steps of: (a) providing a powder of fine graphite particles comprising graphite crystallites with each crystallite comprising one sheet or normally a multiplicity of sheets of graphite plane bonded together; (b) exfoliating the graphite crystallites to form exfoliated graphite particles, which are characterized by having at least two graphite planes being either partially or fully separated from each other; and (c) subjecting the exfoliated graphite particles to a mechanical attrition treatment to further reduce at least one dimension of the particles to a nanometer scale, <100 nm, for producing the nano-scaled graphene plates.

Abstract: A local vapor fuel cell, comprising (A) an anode receiving a liquid fuel from a liquid fuel source substantially through diffusion; (B) an electrolyte plate having a first surface adjacent to the anode; and (C) a cathode adjacent to a second surface of the electrolyte plate and opposite to the anode. The anode is provided with a heating environment to at least partially vaporize the liquid fuel inside the anode and the anode further comprises a catalyst phase to ionize the fuel in a vapor or vapor-liquid mixture form to produce protons. The electro-catalytic reaction at the anode is more efficient with a vapor phase or vapor-liquid mixture than with liquid fuel alone. The invented fuel cell is compact in size and light in weight and, hence, is particularly useful for powering small microelectronic devices such as a notebook computer, a personal digital assistant, a mobile phone, and a digital camera.

Abstract: A solid freeform fabrication method and composition for preparing a calcium phosphate-based macro-porous scaffold for tissue engineering applications.

Abstract: A fast-setting two-part calcium phosphate cement formulation that, when mixed, is capable of hardening and forming an integral mass in less than four minutes. The integral mass is approximately 2 to 10 wt % carbonate-substituted hydroxyapatite that has a calcium/phosphate molar ratio of about 1.33 to 2.0. The cement formulation contains: (a) ultra-fine dry powder ingredients, with an average particle size smaller than 2 &mgr;m (preferably smaller than 0.5 &mgr;m and most preferably smaller than 100 nanometers) in diameter, comprising a partially neutralized phosphoric acid, a calcium phosphate source, and calcium carbonate in an amount ranging from about 9.33 to 70 wt % of the dry powder ingredients; and (b) a physiologically acceptable aqueous lubricant solution selected from the group consisting of 0.01 to 2M sodium phosphate solution at pH 6 to 11 and 0.