Abstract:
The present disclosure includes fuel cell bipolar plates and methods of forming a radical scavenging coating on a bipolar plate. The bipolar plates may include a steel substrate, a middle layer contacting the steel substrate and including a bulk material and a radical scavenging material, and a conductive layer contacting the middle layer. The radical scavenging material may include cerium, such as metallic cerium or a cerium oxide. The conductive layer may include a conductive carbon, such as a diamond-like carbon or coating (DLC). The radical scavenging material may comprise 0.1 wt % to 30 wt % of the middle layer. The middle layer may be deposited using PVD, and the radical scavenging material may be doped into the middle layer, for example, by co-sputtering it with the bulk material of the middle layer.
Abstract:
An electrode for a fuel cell includes a catalyst layer adjacent to a gas diffusion layer and a proton exchange membrane, and ionomer-free active metal-loaded carbon nanostructures and active metal-free ionomer-coated carbon nanostructures arranged to define pores therebetween to facilitate transport of reactant gases and product water in the fuel cell.
Abstract:
A fuel cell oxidation reduction reaction catalyst includes a carbon powder substrate, an amorphous conductive metal oxide intermediate layer on the substrate, and a plurality of chained electrocatalyst particle strands bound to the layer to form an interconnected network film thereon having a thickness of up to 10 atom monolayers.
Abstract:
In at least one embodiment, a hybrid permanent magnet is disclosed. The magnet may include a plurality of anisotropic regions of a Nd—Fe—B alloy and a plurality of anisotropic regions of a MnBi alloy. The regions of Nd—Fe—B alloy and MnBi alloy may be substantially homogeneously mixed within the hybrid magnet. The regions of Nd—Fe—B and MnBi may have the same or a similar size. The magnet may be formed by homogeneously mixing anisotropic powders of MnBi and Nd—Fe—B, aligning the powder mixture in a magnetic field, and consolidating the powder mixture to form an anisotropic hybrid magnet. The hybrid magnet may have improved coercivity at elevated temperatures, while still maintaining high magnetization.
Abstract:
In at least one embodiment, an oxygen reduction reaction catalyst (ORR) and a method for making the catalyst are provided. The method may include depositing a metal oxide on a graphitized carbon or graphene substrate. A platinum catalyst may then be deposited over the metal oxide to provide an ORR catalyst for use in, for example, a PEMFC. The metal oxide may be niobium oxide and may have an amorphous structure. The platinum catalyst may form a thin, electrically interconnected network structure overlaying the metal oxide. The ORR catalyst may be prepared by alternating the deposition of the metal oxide and the platinum catalyst, for example, using physical vapor deposition. The ORR catalyst may have a specific activity of at least 1,000 μA/cm2 Pt and may approach or achieve bulk Pt activity.
Abstract:
A method of storing oxygen in a cathode including an oxygen storage metal-organic framework (“MOF”) material comprising a mixture of ionic conductive material, electron conductive material and catalyst material within the MOF.
Abstract:
An oxygen reduction reaction catalyst and method for making the catalyst includes a graphitized carbon substrate with an amorphous metal oxide layer overlying the surface of the substrate. The amorphous metal oxide layer has a worm-like structure. A catalyst overlies the metal oxide layer.
Abstract:
A method of forming a material for reversible hydrogen storage within a storage tank includes charging a mixture of a metal amide and a metal hydride to the storage tank, and chemically reacting the mixture at a reaction condition within the storage tank to form a thermally conducting composite material situated in the storage tank and for reversibly storing hydrogen. The composite material includes a three-dimensional and interconnected framework including a conductive metal. A method for reversibly storing hydrogen includes providing a storage tank and in situ chemically forming a composite material by charging a mixture of a metal amide and a metal hydride to the storage tank and chemically reacting the mixture at a reaction condition to form a thermally conducting composite material including a metal hydride and a substantially unreactive elemental metal framework. Hydrogen is absorbed into the composite material and is desorbed from the composite material.
Abstract:
A fuel cell includes a plurality of unit cells disposed in a stack. Each unit cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) having an anode and a cathode and a bipolar plate having a cathode side defining a recessed pocket in fluid communication with an air port, an anode side, and coolant channels between the cathode and anode sides. The bipolar plate is disposed against the MEA such that the cathode is disposed over the pocket. A flow guide is disposed in the pocket with a front side facing the MEA and a back side facing a bottom of the pocket. The flow guide has a plurality of embossments.
Abstract:
In at least one embodiment, a method of scavenging hydrogen in a lithium-ion battery is provided. The method may comprise including an atomic intermetallic material in at least one of a positive electrode or a negative electrode of a lithium-ion battery and reacting hydrogen present inside the lithium-ion battery with the atomic intermetallic material to form a metal hydride. The method may include preparing a positive electrode slurry and a negative electrode slurry, each slurry including an active material and a binder, mixing an atomic intermetallic material including a proton absorbed state into at least one of the slurries, and casting the slurries to form a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The method may alternately include applying an atomic intermetallic material including a proton absorbed state to a surface of at least one of a lithium-ion battery positive electrode or negative electrode.