Abstract: An example of a negative electrode includes silicon nanoparticles having a carbon coating thereon. The carbon coating has an oxygen-free structure including pentagon rings. The negative electrode with the silicon nanoparticles having the carbon coating thereon may be incorporated into a lithium-based battery. In an example of a method, silicon nanoparticles are provided. A carbon precursor is applied on the silicon nanoparticles. The carbon precursor is an oxygen-free, fluorene-based polymer. Then the silicon nanoparticles are heated in an inert gas atmosphere to form the carbon coating on the silicon nanoparticles. The carbon coating formed on the silicon nanoparticles has an oxygen-free structure including pentagon rings.

Abstract: An example of a negative electrode includes silicon nanoparticles having a carbon coating thereon. The carbon coating has an oxygen-free structure including pentagon rings. The negative electrode with the silicon nanoparticles having the carbon coating thereon may be incorporated into a lithium-based battery. In an example of a method, silicon nanoparticles are provided. A carbon precursor is applied on the silicon nanoparticles. The carbon precursor is an oxygen-free, fluorene-based polymer. Then the silicon nanoparticles are heated in an inert gas atmosphere to form the carbon coating on the silicon nanoparticles. The carbon coating formed on the silicon nanoparticles has an oxygen-free structure including pentagon rings.

Abstract: Methods for making electroactive composite materials for electrochemical cells are provided. The method includes introducing a particle mixture comprising a first particle having a first diameter (R1) and comprising a first electroactive material and a second particle having a second diameter (R2) smaller than the first diameter (R1) and comprising a second electroactive material into a dry-coating device having a rotatable vessel defining a cavity and a rotor disposed therewithin. The vessel is rotated at a first speed in a first direction, and the rotor is rotated at a second speed greater than the first speed in a second direction opposing the first direction. The particle mixture flows between cavity walls and the rotor and experiences thrusting and compression forces that create a substantially uniform coating comprising the second electroactive material on one or more exposed surfaces of the first particle.

Abstract: An example of a three-electrode test cell includes a negative electrode, a positive electrode having an aperture defined therein, a reference electrode, and a first microporous polymer separator soaked in an electrolyte. The reference electrode is disposed within the aperture of the positive electrode and physically separated from the positive electrode. The first microporous polymer separator is disposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode.

Abstract: An example of a negative electrode includes silicon nanoparticles having a carbon coating thereon. The carbon coating has an oxygen-free structure including pentagon rings. The negative electrode with the silicon nanoparticles having the carbon coating thereon may be incorporated into a lithium-based battery. In an example of a method, silicon nanoparticles are provided. A carbon precursor is applied on the silicon nanoparticles. The carbon precursor is an oxygen-free, fluorene-based polymer. Then the silicon nanoparticles are heated in an inert gas atmosphere to form the carbon coating on the silicon nanoparticles. The carbon coating formed on the silicon nanoparticles has an oxygen-free structure including pentagon rings.

Abstract: An example of a gel electrolyte precursor includes a lithium salt, a solvent, a fluorinated monomer, a fluorinated crosslinker, and an initiator. Another example of a gel electrolyte precursor includes a lithium salt, a solvent, and a fluorinated monomer, wherein the fluorinated monomer is methyl 2-(trifluoromethyl) acrylate, tert-butyl 2-(trifluoromethyl)acrylate, or a combination thereof. A gel electrolyte formed from either gel electrolyte precursor may be incorporated into a lithium-based battery.

Abstract: Methods for making electroactive composite materials for electrochemical cells are provided. The method includes introducing a particle mixture comprising a first particle having a first diameter (R1) and comprising a first electroactive material and a second particle having a second diameter (R2) smaller than the first diameter (R1) and comprising a second electroactive material into a dry-coating device having a rotatable vessel defining a cavity and a rotor disposed therewithin. The vessel is rotated at a first speed in a first direction, and the rotor is rotated at a second speed greater than the first speed in a second direction opposing the first direction. The particle mixture flows between cavity walls and the rotor and experiences thrusting and compression forces that create a substantially uniform coating comprising the second electroactive material on one or more exposed surfaces of the first particle.

Abstract: An example of a negative electrode includes silicon nanoparticles having a carbon coating thereon. The carbon coating has an oxygen-free structure including pentagon rings. The negative electrode with the silicon nanoparticles having the carbon coating thereon may be incorporated into a lithium-based battery. In an example of a method, silicon nanoparticles are provided. A carbon precursor is applied on the silicon nanoparticles. The carbon precursor is an oxygen-free, fluorene-based polymer. Then the silicon nanoparticles are heated in an inert gas atmosphere to form the carbon coating on the silicon nanoparticles. The carbon coating formed on the silicon nanoparticles has an oxygen-free structure including pentagon rings.

Abstract: An example of a three-electrode test cell includes a negative electrode, a positive electrode having an aperture defined therein, a reference electrode, and a first microporous polymer separator soaked in an electrolyte. The reference electrode is disposed within the aperture of the positive electrode and physically separated from the positive electrode. The first microporous polymer separator is disposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode.

Abstract: An example of a gel electrolyte precursor includes a lithium salt, a solvent, a fluorinated monomer, a fluorinated crosslinker, and an initiator. Another example of a gel electrolyte precursor includes a lithium salt, a solvent, and a fluorinated monomer, wherein the fluorinated monomer is methyl 2-(trifluoromethyl) acrylate, tert-butyl 2-(trifluoromethyl)acrylate, or a combination thereof. A gel electrolyte formed from either gel electrolyte precursor may be incorporated into a lithium-based battery.

Abstract: A catalyst support material comprising TiO2, and optionally being doped with a transition metal element, and a method for synthesizing the same have been developed. The catalyst support material exhibits an electrical conductivity comparable to widely-used carbon materials. This is because the TiO2 present is primarily arranged in its rutile crystalline phase. Furthermore, a mesoporous morphology provides the catalyst support material with appropriate porosity and surface area properties such that it may be utilized as part of a fuel cell electrode (anode and/or cathode). The TiO2-based catalyst support material may be formed using a template method in which precursor titanium and transition metal alkoxides are hydrolyzed onto the surface of a latex template, dried, and heat treated.

Abstract: A method for embedding a hydrophilic and electrically conductive layer into a flow field plate or bipolar plate for a fuel cell. In one embodiment, the layer is niobium doped titanium oxide in a powder form. The method includes mixing the powder material in a suitable solution, such as a solvent. The solution is deposited on a substrate, such as a stainless steel substrate, by any suitable process, such as brushing. The substrate is then heated so that the solvent evaporates to leave a coating of the powder material. The substrate is then positioned in a die press and is stamped to the shape of the bipolar plate, where the stamping operation embeds the powder material into an outer surface of the bipolar plate.

Abstract: A high surface area support material is formed of an intimate mixture of carbon clusters and titanium oxide clusters. A catalytic metal, such as platinum, is deposited on the support particles and the catalyzed material used as an electrocatalyst in an electrochemical cell such as a PEM fuel cell. The composite material is prepared by thermal decomposition and oxidation of an intimate mixture of a precursor carbon polymer, a titanium alkoxide and a surfactant that serves as a molecular template for the mixed precursors.

Abstract: Titanium oxide (usually titanium dioxide) catalyst support particles are doped for electronic conductivity and formed with surface area-enhancing pores for use, for example, in electro-catalyzed electrodes on proton exchange membrane electrodes in hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells. Suitable compounds of titanium and a dopant are dispersed with pore-forming particles in a liquid medium. The compounds are deposited as a precipitate or sol on the pore-forming particles and heated to transform the deposit into crystals of dopant-containing titanium dioxide. If the heating has not decomposed the pore-forming particles, they are chemically removed from the, now pore-enhanced, the titanium dioxide particles.

Abstract: A high surface area support material is formed of an intimate mixture of carbon clusters and titanium oxide clusters. A catalytic metal, such as platinum, is deposited on the support particles and the catalyzed material used as an electrocatalyst in an electrochemical cell such as a PEM fuel cell. The composite material is prepared by thermal decomposition and oxidation of an intimate mixture of a precursor carbon polymer, a titanium alkoxide and a surfactant that serves as a molecular template for the mixed precursors.

Abstract: Titanium oxide (usually titanium dioxide) catalyst support particles are doped for electronic conductivity and formed with surface area-enhancing pores for use, for example, in electro-catalyzed electrodes on proton exchange membrane electrodes in hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells. Suitable compounds of titanium and a dopant are dispersed with pore-forming particles in a liquid medium. The compounds are deposited as a precipitate or sol on the pore-forming particles and heated to transform the deposit into crystals of dopant-containing titanium dioxide.

Abstract: A catalyst support material comprising TiO2, and optionally being doped with a transition metal element, and a method for synthesizing the same have been developed. The catalyst support material exhibits an electrical conductivity comparable to widely-used carbon materials. This is because the TiO2 present is primarily arranged in its rutile crystalline phase. Furthermore, a mesoporous morphology provides the catalyst support material with appropriate porosity and surface area properties such that it may be utilized as part of a fuel cell electrode (anode and/or cathode). The TiO2-based catalyst support material may be formed using a template method in which precursor titanium and transition metal alkoxides are hydrolyzed onto the surface of a latex template, dried, and heat treated.

Abstract: A high surface area support material is formed of an intimate mixture of carbon clusters and titanium oxide clusters. A catalytic metal, such as platinum, is deposited on the support particles and the catalyzed material us as an electrocatalyst in an electrochemical cell such as a PEM fuel cell. The composite material is prepared by thermal decomposition and oxidation of an intimate mixture of a precursor carbon polymer, a titanium alkoxide and a surfactant that serves as a molecular template for the mixed precursors.

Abstract: A method for embedding a hydrophilic and electrically conductive layer into a flow field plate or bipolar plate for a fuel cell. In one embodiment, the layer is niobium doped titanium oxide in a powder form. The method includes mixing the powder material in a suitable solution, such as a solvent. The solution is deposited on a substrate, such as a stainless steel substrate, by any suitable process, such as brushing. The substrate is then heated so that the solvent evaporates to leave a coating of the powder material. The substrate is then positioned in a die press and is stamped to the shape of the bipolar plate, where the stamping operation embeds the powder material into an outer surface of the bipolar plate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making a noble metal catalyst, where the noble metal is distributed on the surface of special composite carrier particles. Nanometer sized oxide particles are first dry coated by an impact mixing process on the surface of larger alumina particles. In general, this dry coating process coats the nanometer sized particles on the surface of the alumina particles. A suitable solution of noble metal(s) compound is then soaked on the surface of the composite carrier particles. Ultimately, the noble metal compound is decomposed by calcining and noble metal particles dispersed with large effective surface area on the composite carrier particles. The resultant catalyst structure improves catalyst performance while making efficient and effective use of the expensive noble metal.