With Gas Diffusion Electrode Patents (Class 429/474)
  • Patent number: 10868326
    Abstract: A fuel cell FC includes a cell structure 1 in which an anode electrode layer 11, an electrolyte layer 13 and a cathode electrode layer 15 are stacked. The anode electrode layer 11 is arranged in the middle, and has an electrode reacting part 11 having a thermal expansion coefficient greater than a thermal expansion coefficient of the electrolyte layer, and an outer peripheral part 113 arranged adjacent to the electrode reacting part 111 on an outer periphery of the electrode reacting part 111, the outer peripheral part 113 having a thermal expansion coefficient smaller than the thermal expansion coefficient of the electrode reacting part 111. The fuel cell FC is arranged on the anode electrode layer side of the cell structure 1, and further includes a metallic supporting plate 2 that supports the cell structure 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Sato
  • Patent number: 10777834
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method for supplying molten carbonate fuel cell with electrolyte and a molten carbonate fuel cell using the same, wherein a molten carbonate electrolyte is generated from a molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound in a molten carbonate fuel cell and is supplied to the molten carbonate fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Sung Pil Yoon, Jonghee Han, Hyung Chul Ham, Chang Won Yoon, Sun-Hee Choi, Hyun Seo Park, Yeong Cheon Kim, Chang-Whan Lee, Hyoung-Juhn Kim, Tae Hoon Lim, Suk Woo Nam, Seong Cheol Jang
  • Patent number: 10593963
    Abstract: The invention relates to an anode and electrolyte and cathode in direct material contact in fuel cell applications, so that the anode and electrolyte, and the cathode and electrolyte, particularly at temperatures >400° C., can react in a solid chemical manner. Said reaction results in that the material of the anodes can diffuse into the electrolyte and vice versa, and the material of the cathodes can diffuse into the electrolyte or vice versa. The effect thereof is the modification of the electrical energy yield of the fuel cells. In order to prevent said effect, it is proposed according to the invention that a blocking layer is disposed between the electrolyte and anode and electrolyte and cathode and is made of areas having opened and closed pores and that the functional penetration paths for the diffusion are formed by the frame structure thus created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: CeramTec GmbH
    Inventors: Claus Peter Kluge, Stefan Stolz
  • Patent number: 9023549
    Abstract: A method of preparing a gas diffusion electrode comprising a diffusion layer, and a reaction layer arranged to each other, wherein the diffusion layer is prepared by i) admixing a) sacrificial material, b) polymer and c) a metal-based material and d) optional further components, wherein the sacrificial material has a release temperature below about 275° C. and is added in an amount from about 1 to about 25 wt % based on the total weight of components a)-d) admixed; ii) forming a diffusion layer from the admixture of step i); iii) heating the forming diffusion layer to a temperature lower than about 275° C. so as to release at least a part of said sacrificial material from the diffusion layer. A gas diffusion electrode comprising a diffusion layer and a reaction layer arranged to one another, wherein the diffusion layer has a porosity ranging from about 60 to about 95%, and an electrolytic cell comprising the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Permascand AB
    Inventors: Takayuki Shimamune, Yohannes Kiros
  • Patent number: 8877405
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes: a membrane electrode assembly containing an anode and a cathode which are disposed opposite to one another via an electrolytic membrane; an anode channel plate adjacent to the anode and supplying a prescribed fuel to the anode; and a cathode channel plate adjacent to the cathode, supplying air to the cathode and containing a platy member which is elongated in a direction different from a supplying direction of the air to the cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yuusuke Sato, Kei Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 8835024
    Abstract: A method for operating a passive, air-breathing fuel cell system is described. In one embodiment, the system comprises one or more fuel cells, and a closed fuel plenum connected to a fuel supply. In some embodiments of the method, the fuel cell cathodes are exposed to ambient air, and the fuel is supplied to the anodes via the fuel plenum at a pressure greater than that of the ambient air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Societe BIC
    Inventors: Joy Roberts, Joerg Zimmermann, Jeremy Schrooten
  • Patent number: 8778561
    Abstract: An electrocatalytic polymer-based powder has particles of at least one electronically conductive polymer species in which particles are dispersed of at least one catalytic redox species, in which the particles of the polymer species and of the catalytic species are of nanometric dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Raffaele Vecchione, Giuseppe Mensitieri, Anna Borriello
  • Publication number: 20140170523
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an electrode paste for a solid oxide fuel cell in an anode supported type in which an anode, an electrolyte layer, and a cathode are sequentially stacked, including a raw material powder, a dispersant, a binder, a solvent, and a liquid pore-forming material, a solid oxide fuel cell using the same, and a fabricating method thereof. The electrode paste for the solid oxide fuel cell may form uniform pores in the electrode and may provide high porosity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bon Seok Koo, Jong Ho Chung, Sung Han Kim, Jong Sik Yoon
  • Patent number: 8597806
    Abstract: A method for operating a passive, air-breathing fuel cell system is described. In one embodiment, the system comprises one or more fuel cells, and a closed fuel plenum connected to a fuel supply. In some embodiments of the method, the fuel cell cathodes are exposed to ambient air, and the fuel is supplied to the anodes via the fuel plenum at a pressure greater than that of the ambient air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Societe BIC
    Inventors: Joy Roberts, Joerg Zimmermann, Jeremy Schrooten
  • Publication number: 20130084474
    Abstract: An electrochemical power system is provided that generates an electromotive force (EMF) from the catalytic reaction of hydrogen to lower energy (hydrino) states providing direct conversion of the energy released from the hydrino reaction into electricity, the system comprising at least two components chosen from: a catalyst or a source of catalyst; atomic hydrogen or a source of atomic hydrogen; reactants to form the catalyst or source of catalyst and atomic hydrogen or source of atomic hydrogen, and one or more reactants to initiate the catalysis of atomic hydrogen. The electrochemical power system for forming hydrinos and electricity can farther comprise a cathode compartment comprising a cathode, an anode compartment comprising an anode, optionally a salt bridge, reactants that constitute hydrino reactants during cell operation with separate electron flow and ion mass transport, and a source of hydrogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventor: Randell L. Mills
  • Patent number: 8343672
    Abstract: A catalyst coated electrolyte membrane including an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer at opposite sides thereof, respectively, wherein micro cracks of the anode catalyst layer or cathode catalyst layer occupy 0.01-1 area % of the total area of the respective anode catalyst layer or cathode catalyst layer, a fuel cell including the same, and a method of preparing the catalyst coated electrolyte membrane. In the catalyst coated electrolyte membrane, micro cracks of the cathode catalyst layer or the anode catalyst layer can be minimized and thus the resistance between the electrode catalyst layer and an electrolyte membrane can be minimized, and crossover of a fuel, such as methanol, ethanol, other alcohols, methane, etc., to a cathode electrode can be minimized, and thus the catalyst coated electrolyte membrane has improved performance and durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji-rae Kim, Seung-jae Lee, Hyuk Chang
  • Patent number: 8304145
    Abstract: A diffusion medium for use in a PEM fuel cell including a porous spacer layer disposed between a plurality of perforated layers having variable size and frequency of perforation patterns, each perforated layer having a microporous layer formed thereon, wherein the diffusion medium is adapted to optimize water management in and performance of the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christian Wieser, Paul D. Nicotera
  • Patent number: 8227133
    Abstract: A fuel cell system that can dispose of an odorant through the use of a simple configuration and assure enhanced hydrogen safety. A hydrogenation device is positioned between a fuel tank and a fuel cell. The hydrogenation device incorporates a hydrogenation catalyst for hydrogenating the odorant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Oshikawa, Hideo Naohara, Yoshifumi Hirao
  • Patent number: 8154243
    Abstract: A fuel cell potential measuring apparatus includes a first sheet member which is arranged on an anode side, and a second sheet member which is arranged on a cathode side. On the first sheet member, an anode potential-applying electrode and an anode potential-measuring electrode are disposed on an end portion thereof, whereas on the second sheet member, a cathode potential-applying electrode and a cathode potential-measuring electrode are disposed on an end portion thereof. Another end portion of the first sheet member and another end portion of the second sheet member are joined together mutually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Sato, Hiromichi Yoshida, Toshifumi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8053135
    Abstract: A microporous thin film, a method of forming the same and a fuel cell including the microporous thin film, are provided. The microporous thin film includes uniform nanoparticles and has a porosity of at least about 20%. Therefore, the microporous thin film can be efficiently used in various applications such as fuel cells, primary and secondary batteries, adsorbents, and hydrogen storage alloys. The microporous thin film is formed on a substrate, includes metal nanoparticles, and has a microporous structure with porosity of 20% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyuk Chang, Ji-rae Kim
  • Patent number: 7927748
    Abstract: A fuel cell of the present invention comprises a cathode and an anode, one or both of the anode and the cathode including a catalyst comprising a bundle of longitudinally aligned graphitic carbon nanotubes including a catalytically active transition metal incorporated longitudinally and atomically distributed throughout the graphitic carbon walls of said nanotubes. The nanotubes also include nitrogen atoms and/or ions chemically bonded to the graphitic carbon and to the transition metal. Preferably, the transition metal comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Mn, and Cr.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Uchicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Di-Jia Liu, Junbing Yang, Xiaoping Wang
  • Patent number: 7910259
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an anode for a fuel cell including: performing an acid treatment for a carbon-based compound; washing the resultant obtained from the acid treatment with water and then performing a freeze-drying (lyophilization) process; forming a microporous diffusion layer by dispersing the lyophilized resultant in a solvent, coating the dispersed resultant on a porous carbon support, and drying; and forming a catalyst layer on top of the microporous diffusion layer, an anode for a fuel cell obtained according to the method herein, and a fuel cell using the same. An anode having improved efficiency on liquid fuel diffusion can be obtained when using the fuel diffusion layer including the microporous diffusion layer formed of the carbon-based compounds obtained after an acid treatment and a freeze-drying process according to the present invention. A fuel cell having improved performance can be manufactured by using such an anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seol-ah Lee, Seung-jae Lee, Chan-ho Pak, Ji-rae Kim, Dae-jong Yoo
  • Patent number: 7867660
    Abstract: In the fuel cell including a membrane electrode assembly, the diffusion layer of the membrane electrode assembly includes an electrode part having one surface in contact with the electrode catalytic layer and the other surface facing the separator and a non-electric-power generating part around the electrode part having one surface in contact with the solid polymer electrolytic membrane and the other surface facing the separator. The non-electric-power generating part includes a hydrophilic part near an outlet of the fluid passage of the reaction gas, and a hydrophobic layer formed on the hydrophilic part and exposed to the fluid passage to discharge water generated in generating an electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Mitsuta