摘要:
An electrochemical cell is provided which has a liquid anode. Preferably the liquid anode comprises molten salt and a fuel, which preferably has a significant elemental carbon content. The supply of fuel is preferably continuously replenished in the anode. Where the fuel contains or pyrolizes to elemental carbon, the reaction C+2O2−→CO2+4e− may occur at the anode. The electrochemical cell preferably has a solid electrolyte, which may be yttrium stabilized zirconia (YSZ). The electrolyte is connected to a solid or liquid cathode, which is given a supply of an oxidizer such as air. An ion such as O2− passes through the electrolyte. If O2− passes through the electrolyte from the anode to the cathode, a possible reaction at the cathode may be O2+4e−→2O2−. The electrochemical cell of the invention is preferably operated as a fuel cell, consuming fuel and producing electrical current.
摘要:
Thermodynamically metastable skutterudite crystalline-structured compounds are disclosed having preselected stoichiometric compositions and superior and optimizable thermoelectric properties. The compounds are formed at low nucleation temperatures and satisfy the formula:M.sub.1-x M'.sub.4-y Co.sub.y M".sub.12wherein:M=any metal, metalloid, or mixture thereof, except for La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Eu when x=0, and M'=Fe, Ru, or Os, and M"=Sb, P, or As;M'=Fe, Ru, Os, Rh, or mixture thereof;M"Sb, As, P, Bi, Ge.sub.0.5-w Se.sub.0.5+w, wherein w=0 to 0.5 or mixture thereof;x=0 to 1;y=0 to 4; andwherein M' and/or M" are doped or undoped. These compounds generally have the crystalline structure of a skutterudite, wherein the crystalline structure is cubic with 34 atoms in the unit-cell in the space group Im3. The M".sub.12 atoms occupy unit-cell sites 24(g), the M'.sub.4-y atoms form a cubic sublattice occupying unit-cell sites 8(c), and the M.sub.1-x atoms are positioned in two remaining "holes" or interstitial sites in the unit-cell, namely sites 2(a). These thermodynamically metastable skutterudite crystalline-structured compounds possess relatively low thermal conductivity properties with relatively high electrical conductivity properties, making the compounds ideal for use in thermoelectric devices.
摘要:
In one embodiment, the present invention relates generally to a multi-stage system for performing melt coalescence and separation, the multi-stage system. In one embodiment, the multi-stage system includes a first container for mixing a powder with a salt, the first container having an opening, a heating means coupled to the first container for heating the first container and a second container coupled to the first container.
摘要:
This invention discloses methods, materials, and devices for making and screening combinatorial libraries to identify semi-conducting and thermoelectric materials. The disclosed method includes preparing a combinatorial library of materials, and identifying library members that are semiconductors. The method may include determining a thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, for each member of a second combinatorial library of materials. The method determines ZT by applying an oscillatory voltage across the library members, measuring power dissipated by library members, and calculating ZT from the power dissipated. The method may also include isolating single-phase materials of the semiconducting library members. The present invention also discloses an apparatus for discovering thermoelectric materials using combinatorial techniques. The apparatus includes a first combinatorial library of materials comprised of thin films arrayed on a substrate, and a device for identifying semiconducting members of the first combinatorial library. In addition, the apparatus may include a device for measuring ZT—a voltage source for applying an oscillatory electrical potential across members of a second combinatorial library arrayed on a substrate, and a device for measuring the resulting power dissipated by library members. The apparatus may also include a device for isolating single-phase materials of library members that were identified as semiconductors.
摘要:
Computer programs and computer-implemented methods implement techniques for evaluating experimental data from a library of materials. The techniques receive a plurality of images of a library of materials that includes an array of members associated with locations in the library. User input identifying a plurality of regions of interest is received. A series of reduced data values is determined for one or more of the regions of interest as a statistical function of a plurality of pixel values for pixels in the corresponding regions. A figure of merit is calculated from one or more of the series of reduced data values for a library member at the corresponding library location. The regions of interest include a plurality of pixels in the images and correspond to locations in the library.
摘要:
This invention discloses methods, materials, and devices for making and screening combinatorial libraries to identify semi-conducting and thermoelectric materials. The disclosed method includes preparing a combinatorial library of materials, and identifying library members that are semiconductors. The method may include determining a thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, for each member of a second combinatorial library of materials. The method determines ZT by applying an oscillatory voltage across the library members, measuring power dissipated by library members, and calculating ZT from the power dissipated. The method may also include isolating single-phase materials of the semiconducting library members. The present invention also discloses an apparatus for discovering thermoelectric materials using combinatorial techniques. The apparatus includes a first combinatorial library of materials comprised of thin films arrayed on a substrate, and a device for identifying semiconducting members of the first combinatorial library. In addition, the apparatus may include a device for measuring ZT—a voltage source for applying an oscillatory electrical potential across members of a second combinatorial library arrayed on a substrate, and a device for measuring the resulting power dissipated by library members. The apparatus may also include a device for isolating single-phase materials of library members that were identified as semiconductors.
摘要:
In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates generally to a method for thermally decomposing a complex precursor salt. In one embodiment, the method includes heating a salt in a reactor until a molten salt is formed, adding the complex precursor salt to the molten salt in the reactor and removing a volatile precursor halide formed from thermal decomposition of the complex precursor salt from the reactor.
摘要:
In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates generally to a method for thermally decomposing a complex precursor salt. In one embodiment, the method includes heating a salt in a reactor until a molten salt is formed, adding the complex precursor salt to the molten salt in the reactor and removing a volatile precursor halide formed from thermal decomposition of the complex precursor salt from the reactor.
摘要:
Computer programs and computer-implemented methods are disclosed for extracting and analyzing combinatorial chemical data from images. The invention receives a stream of data, identifies a plurality of regions of interest and determines a series of values for one or more regions of interest. The library includes a plurality of members. The data stream includes a series of images of the library. Each region of interest corresponds to a location in each of the images and to a location in the library. The series of values for each region includes a value for each of the images. Particular embodiments have the following features. The invention calculates a figure of merit for a library member from each series of values. The stream of data comprises a series of images generated at a frequency of greater than about 1, 6, 12 or 30 frames per second. The series of images is captured from a beginning of a combinatorial experiment to an end of a commercial experiment. The regions of interest are identified after the series of images has been captured. The images are infrared images. The figure of merit is an emittance change, a phase transition point or a thermoelectric figure of merit for a library member. Regions of interest are identified by a user and have a user-defined shape. The series of values for each region is determined based on a user-defined computation. A graphical representation of the figures of merit is displayed.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for high-throughput determination of phase change points of combinatorial libraries of metal alloys uses an infrared camera to monitor temperature-dependent changes in emissivity/reflectivity of the alloys. An infrared focal plane array monitors the emissivity/reflectivity changes over time, and the intensity of each heated member over time is correlated with temperature to detect the phase change points of the members.