Abstract: An electrochemical energy storage device includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte disposed between the cathode and the anode. The anode includes a capacitive material as a majority component, and further includes an electrochemically active material as a minority component, such that an operating potential of the anode is configured according to a reaction potential of the electrochemically active material.

Abstract: An electrochemical energy storage device includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte disposed between the cathode and the anode. The anode includes a capacitive material as a majority component, and further includes an electrochemically active material as a minority component, such that an operating potential of the anode is configured according to a reaction potential of the electrochemically active material.

Abstract: Energy storage cells, batteries and associated methods and uses are implemented in a variety of manners. Consistent with one such implementation, a lithium ion and hydrogen ion battery cell includes a first electrode configured to store energy by interacting with lithium cations. A second electrode is configured to store energy by interacting with hydrogen cations. An aqueous electrolyte separates the first electrode from the second electrode and provides both the lithium cations and the hydrogen cations.

Abstract: A method of producing hydrogen is provided that includes exposing a hydrogen-extracting (H-x) material to water, where the H-x material includes a crystal structure having interstitial space available for the insertion of protons and the water can be liquid water or vapor water. A spontaneous electrochemical reaction occurs, whereby water chemically decomposes in contact with the H-x material, the resulting hydrogen is stored in the H-x material and the resulting oxygen is emitted as a gas. This reaction proceeds until it is limited by a hydrogen loading capacity of the H-x material and/or the electrochemical potential of the H-x material relative to the water. The H-x material is heated to recover the stored hydrogen in a temperature range of 20 to 1000 degrees Celsius. This process is reversible, as it can be repeated many times. No electricity or consumable chemicals are required.

Abstract: A method to reduce the initial irreversible capacity in an alkali metal-based electrochemical cell, and thus the necessity for the presence of additional alkali metal source material in the cell comprising one or more preliminary reactions performed by either electrochemical or chemical means.

Abstract: A method to reduce the initial irreversible capacity in an alkali metal-based electrochemical cell, and thus the necessity for the presence of an additional alkali metal source material in the cell comprising a pre-charging step performed by either electrochemical or chemical means.

Abstract: A self-contained, integrated-structure, miniature, electrochemical-type oxygen sensor is described which uses an oxygen ion conducting solid electrolyte. An encapsulated metal-metal oxide reference electrode on one surface of the solid electrolyte provides a reference oxygen pressure. A sensing electrode is placed on the other surface. The voltage developed between the reference electrode and the sensing electrode is indicative of the oxygen content of the fluid the sensing electrode is contacting.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrochemical storage device having a plurality of serially connected individual cells, each of the individual cells having two spatially separated electrodes, between which an electrolyte and an intermediate part ensuring the spacing of the electrodes is arranged. In the interior of the storage device, each individual cell has a protective element which is formed from a solid material having a nonlinear current/voltage characteristic curve, and which makes electrical contact with the positive and the negative electrode within the individual cell and provides a voltage-dependent electrical connection between said electrodes. The electrical resistance of the protective element above a critical voltage is smaller, and below the critical voltage larger, than the resistance present between the electrodes at the respective voltages without the protective element.

Abstract: A high temperature fuel cell (10) having first and second temperature zones (14, 16) for directly converting carbon fuel (12) to electrical energy comprises a first heat source (22), a second heat source (26), and a housing (18) that includes a non-porous section (15) and a solid electrolyte (30) having first and second electrolyte surfaces (32, 34) to which first and second electrodes (36, 38) are electrically connected. The first heat source (26) establishes first temperature zone (14) in the vicinity of the solid electrolyte (30) for adjusting the conductivity of the solid electrolyte (30) and electrodes (36, 38). The second heat source (26) is positioned in the vicinity of non-porous section (15) of housing (18) a distance from first heat source (22) to establish second temperature zone (16).

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrochemical reactor for partially oxidizing methane and cogenerating electrical energy. A solid-state ionic reactor is described in which a solid electrolyte is provided with a cathode and a perovskite type anode having a wide range of oxygen nonstoichiometry. The cell generates electrical energy as a result of the chemical potential difference brought about by the catalytic oxidation of methane at the anode with oxygen that chemically diffuses from the cathode through the solid-state ionic conductor.

Abstract: The negative electrode of an electrochemical cell with lithium as the electroactive species includes a metal silicide. This metal silicide can be an alloy (that is, a multimetallic silicide) that reacts with lithium and acts as a reversible lithium reservoir during cell operation. Electrochemical cells in accordance with the invention have excellent kinetics and higher theoretical specific energy that the Li-Si binary alloys presently used in some thermal batteries. Magnesium silicide, calcium silicide and molybdenum silicide are particularly preferred materials for these negative electrodes due to their thermodynamic properties.

Abstract: Alkali metal based electrochemical cells offer a great deal of promise for applications in many areas such as electric vehicles and load leveling purposes in stationary power plants. Lithium is an attractive candidate as the electroactive species in such cells since lithium is very electropositive, abundant and light weight. One type of lithium-based cell utilizes a molten salt electrolyte and normally is operated at elevated temperatures. The subject invention provides an electrochemical cell in one embodiment of which lithium is the electroactive species. The cell comprises an electrolyte, a positive electrode, and a negative electrode, either or both of which is an all-solid, composite microstructural electrode containing both a reactant phase and a mixed ionic-electronic conducting phase. The cells of the subject invention exhibit improved kinetic features, current and power densities. Repeated charging and discharging of these cells can be accomplished without appreciable loss of capacity.

Abstract: Lithium-based cells are promising for applications such as electric vehicles and load-leveling for power plants since lithium is very electropositive and light weight. One type of lithium-based cell utilizes a molten salt electrolyte and is operated in the temperature range of about 400.degree.-500.degree. C. Such high temperature operation accelerates corrosion problems and a substantial amount of energy is lost through heat transfer. The present invention provides an electrochemical cell (10) which may be operated at temperatures between about 100.degree.-170.degree. C. Cell (10) comprises an electrolyte (16), which preferably includes lithium nitrate, and a lithium or lithium alloy electrode (12).

Abstract: A method for synthesizing reaction products, such as hydrocarbons, from fluid reactants is provided by use of a solid state electrochemical cell. A preferred embodiment may be used to produce methane at a substantially enhanced, controllable rate.

Abstract: Lithium-based cells are promising for applications such as electric vehicles and load-leveling for power plants since lithium is very electropositive and of light weight. One type of lithium-based cell utilizes a molten salt electrolyte and normally is operated in the temperature range of about 350.degree.-500.degree. C. Such high temperature operation accelerates corrosion problems. The present invention provides an electrochemical cell in which lithium is the electroactive species. The cell has a positive electrode which includes a ternary compound generally represented as Li-M-O, wherein M is a transition metal. Corrosion of the inventive cell is considerably reduced.

Abstract: Electrochromic material for an electro-optic display includes an oxide of at least one transition metal having a structure related to a hexagonal tungsten bronze structure whereby ions of an electro-active material readily diffuse through the lattice structure. In a display the electrochromic material is positioned between two electrodes with an electrolyte between and contacting the electrochromic material and one electrode which comprises the electro-active material.

Abstract: Lithium-based cells are promising for applications such as electric vehicles and load-leveling for power plants since lithium is very electropositive and light weight. One type of lithium-based cell utilizes a molten salt electrolyte and is operated in the temperature range of about 400.degree.-500.degree. C. Such high temperature operation accelerates corrosion problems and a substantial amount of energy is lost through heat transfer. The present invention provides an electrochemical cell (10) which may be operated at temperatures between about 100.degree.-170.degree. C. Cell (10) comprises an electrolyte (16), which preferably includes lithium nitrate, and a lithium or lithium alloy electrode (12).