Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a catalyst including platinum phosphide having a cubic structure, a method of making the catalyst, and a fuel cell utilizing the catalyst. The present disclosure also relates to method of making electrical power utilizing a PEMFC incorporating the catalyst. Also disclosed herein is a catalyst including a platinum complex wherein platinum is complexed with a nonmetal or metalloid. The catalyst with the platinum complex can exhibit good electro-chemically active properties.

Abstract: A wheelchair lifting bay comprising base means, a lifting platform, lifting means and pivot means, in which the lifting platform is connected to the base means by the pivot means, in which the lifting platform comprises a bottom wall and a back wall, in which the pivot means is disposed rearward of said back wall and is spaced apart from it, in which the lifting means is mounted between the base means and the lifting platform forward of the pivot means, and in which the lifting means rotates the lifting platform about the pivot means in use such that the back wall follows a circumferential path about the pivot means.

Abstract: A catalytic material for a fuel cell comprising a catalyst supported on a catalyst support, wherein the catalyst support comprises a Period IV transition metal phosphide is disclosed. A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and fuel cell stack comprising such a catalytic material are similarly disclosed.

Abstract: A population of networked Application Gateway Centers or voice centers provides telephony resources. The telephony application for a call number is typically created by a user in XML (Extended Markup Language) with predefined telephony XML tags and deployed on a website. A voice center provides facility for retrieving the associated XML application from its website and processing the call accordingly. The individual voice centers are either operated at a hosted facility or at a customer's premise. Provisioning Management Servers help to allocate telephony resources among the voice centers. This is accomplished by suitably updating a voice center directory. In this way, the original capacity at a premise, predetermined by the hardware installed, can be adjusted up or down. If the premise is under capacity, it can be supplemented by that from a hosted facility. If the premise has surplus capacity, it can be reallocated for use by others outside the premise.

Abstract: A telephony application such as an interactive voice response (“IVR”) needs to identify quickly the nature of the call (e.g., whether it is a person or machine answering a call) in order to initiate an appropriate voice application. Conventionally, the call stream is sent to a call-progress analyzer (“CPA”) for analysis. Once a result is reached, the call stream is redirected to a call processing unit running the IVR according to the analyzed result. The present scheme feeds the call stream simultaneous to both the CPA and the IVR. The CPA is allowed to continue analyzing and outputting a series of analysis results until a predetermined result appears. In the meantime, the IVR can dynamically adapt itself to the latest analysis results and interact with the call with a minimum of delay.

Abstract: In a solid polymer fuel cell series, various circumstances can result in a fuel cell being driven into voltage reversal. For instance, cell voltage reversal can occur if that cell receives an inadequate supply of fuel. In order to pass current, reactions other than fuel oxidation may take place at the fuel cell anode, including water electrolysis and oxidation of anode components. The latter may result in significant degradation of the anode, particularly if the anode employs a carbon black supported catalyst. Such fuel cells can be made more tolerant to cell reversal by using higher catalyst loading or coverage on the anode catalyst support or a more oxidation resistant anode catalyst support, such as a more graphitic carbon or Ti4O7.

Abstract: A wheelchair lifting bay comprising base means, a lifting platform, lifting means and pivot means, in which the lifting platform is connected to the base means by the pivot means, in which the lifting platform comprises a bottom wall and a back wall, in which the pivot means is disposed rearward of said back wall and is spaced apart from It, in which the lifting means is mounted between the base means and the lifting platform forward of the pivot means, and in which the lifting means rotates the lifting platform about the pivot means in use such that the back wall follows a circumferential path about the pivot means.

Abstract: Liquid cooled systems having coolant circulation loops must often operate in below freezing conditions. For instance, in various applications certain fuel cell systems must be able to tolerate repeated shutdown and storage in below freezing conditions. Conventional glycol-based coolants typically used for internal combustion engines are generally unsuitable for use in the associated fuel cell cooling subsystems due to the presence of additives and/or inhibitors which are normally included to deal with problems relating to decomposition of the glycol. With additives or inhibitors present, the coolant conductivity can be sufficiently high as to result in electrical shorting or corrosion problems. However, provided the purity of the coolant is maintained, a pure glycol and water coolant mixture may be used as a fuel cell system coolant to obtain suitable antifreeze protection. Adequate purity can be maintained by including an ion exchange resin unit in the cooling subsystem.

Abstract: Liquid cooled systems having coolant circulation loops must often operate in below freezing conditions. For instance, in various applications certain fuel cell systems must be able to tolerate repeated shutdown and storage in below freezing conditions. Conventional glycol-based coolants typically used for internal combustion engines are generally unsuitable for use in the associated fuel cell cooling subsystems due to the presence of additives and/or inhibitors which are normally included to deal with problems relating to decomposition of the glycol. With additives or inhibitors present, the coolant conductivity can be sufficiently high as to result in electrical shorting or corrosion problems. However, provided the purity of the coolant is maintained, a pure glycol and water coolant mixture may be used as a fuel cell system coolant to obtain suitable antifreeze protection. Adequate purity can be maintained by including an ion exchange resin unit in the cooling subsystem.

Abstract: A bonded structure including one or more substrates bonded together with a tackified amorphous poly-alpha-olefin adhesive composition. One method of making such a bonded structure is carried out by applying a tackified amorphous poly-alpha-olefin adhesive composition to one or more substrates at a temperature of about 170 degrees Celsius or lower, and joining the substrates to themselves or to one another. The bonded structure has a dynamic peel strength between about 400 and about 1000 grams per 25 millimeters. The bonding efficiency of the bonded structure renders the bonded structure suitable for incorporation into a variety of articles, including personal care products, health/medical products, and household/industrial product, for example.

Abstract: A polyolefin-based elastic hot melt adhesive composition having oil resistance, creep resistance and excellent bond strength is provided. The adhesive composition is useful in elastic laminates used in personal care absorbent articles and other garments.

Abstract: A catalyst for a fuel cell comprising at least one of a metal and a non-metallic compound dispersed on a catalyst support, the catalyst support comprising at least one transition metal oxide doped with at least one trivalent transition metal, pentavalent transition metal, or hexavalent transition metal.

Abstract: Non-noble metal transition metal catalysts can replace platinum in the oxidation reduction reaction (ORR) used in electrochemical fuel cells. A RuxSe catalyst is prepared with comparable catalytic activity to platinum. An environmentally friendly aqueous synthetic pathway to this catalyst is also presented. Using the same aqueous methodology, ORR catalysts can be prepared where Ru is replaced by Mo, Fe, Co, Cr, Ni and/or W. Similarly Se can be replaced by S.

Abstract: In a solid polymer fuel cell series, various circumstances can result in a fuel cell being driven into voltage reversal. For instance, cell voltage reversal can occur if that cell receives an inadequate supply of fuel. In order to pass current, reactions other than fuel oxidation can take place at the fuel cell anode, including water electrolysis and oxidation of anode components. The latter can result in significant degradation of the anode, particularly if the anode employs a carbon black supported catalyst. Such fuel cells can be made substantially more tolerant to cell reversal by using certain anodes employing both a higher catalyst loading or coverage on a corrosion-resistant support and by incorporating, in addition to the typical electrocatalyst for promoting fuel oxidation, certain unsupported catalyst compositions to promote the water electrolysis reaction.

Abstract: Non-noble metal transition metal catalysts can replace platinum in the oxidation reduction reaction (ORR) used in electrochemical fuel cells. A RuxSe catalyst is prepared with comparable catalytic activity to platinum. An environmentally friendly aqueous synthetic pathway to this catalyst is also presented. Using the same aqueous methodology, ORR catalysts can be prepared where Ru is replaced by Mo, Fe, Co, Cr, Ni and/or W. Similarly Se can be replaced by S.

Abstract: An adhesive composition comprises at least a binder polymer and a water-soluble plasticizer. The binder polymer may be present in a range of about 10% to about 60% by weight of the adhesive composition, and the plasticizer may be present in the range of about 5% to about 85% by weight of the adhesive composition, such as in the range of about 40% to about 80% by weight. In some aspects, the adhesive also comprises less than 10% by weight highly-volatile component, such as about 0% to about 5% by weight. The adhesive composition can be utilized in a variety of articles, including personal care articles, health/medical articles, and household/industrial articles.

Abstract: A device for distributing fluid into a monolith bed includes a plurality of flow channels stacked in order of decreasing diameter. The flow channels successively split a flow stream into a multiple flow streams prior to the flow stream entering the monolith bed.

Abstract: Corrosion of the carbon catalyst support may occur at both the anode and cathode catalyst layers within an electrochemical fuel cell. Such corrosion may lead to reduced performance and/or decreased lifetimes of the fuel cell. Nevertheless, carbon supports have many desirable properties as catalyst supports including high surface area, high electrical conductivity, good porosity and density. To reduce or eliminate corrosion of the carbon catalyst support, the carbon support may have a metal surface treatment and, in particular, a metal carbide surface treatment. Suitable metal carbides include titanium, tungsten and molybdenum. In this manner, the metal carbide surface treatment protects the underlying carbon support from corrosion while maintaining the desirable characteristics of the carbon support.

Abstract: A fuel cell fluid distribution layer, in one embodiment, comprises perforated graphite foil. The fluid distribution layer can have one or more reactant flow field channels formed in one or both major surfaces, one or more manifold openings, conductive filler on one or both major surfaces, conductive filler at least partially filling some or all perforations and/or an electrocatalyst one or both major surfaces.

Abstract: Corrosion at the cathode catalyst may be a serious problem compromising fuel cell lifetimes. However in providing for increased corrosion resistance, an expected trade-off may occur regarding fuel cell performance. TKK (Tanaka Kikenzoku Kogyo) has solved this problem by providing both increased corrosion resistance with no concomitant loss in performance with their catalysts TEC50EA10 and TEC50BA10. An alternative to the TKK catalysts is to use an admixture of platinum black and supported catalyst and in particular, an admixture comprising 30-40% by weight platinum black and 60-70% by weight supported catalyst.