摘要:
A method of activating a hydrogen storage alloy. The method includes the step of contacting the hydrogen storage alloy with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide where the concentration of the alkali metal hydroxide is at least about 42 weight percent. The method produces a hydrogen storage alloy with increased surface area.
摘要:
A low temperature alkaline fuel cell having a hydrogen electrode and an oxygen electrode, both of which are comprised of high performance non-precious metal catalytic materials providing high performance at low temperatures.
摘要:
A method for making a catalyst having catalytically active material supported on a carrier matrix. The catalytically active material may be a mixed-valence, nanoclustered oxide(s), an organometallic material or a combination thereof. In one method, a metal salt solution is combined with a metal complexing agent to form a metal complex. The metal complex is then combined with a suspension that includes a carrier matrix and the system is subjected to ultrasonic agitation. A base is then added to induce a controlled crystallization of a catalytic nanocluster metal material onto the carrier matrix. The supported catalytic material is particularly useful for catalyzing oxygen reduction in a fuel cell, such as an alkaline fuel cell.
摘要:
An electrochemical hydrogen storage alloy including an oxide surface having metallic catalytic particles distributed throughout, wherein said metallic catalytic particles have an average particle size of 10-40 Angstroms in size.
摘要:
A process for producing hydrogen gas is disclosed. In one embodiment, the process for produces hydrogen gas from biofuel reformation. The process includes the step of reacting a biofuel with a naturally occurring base.
摘要:
Electrochemical and thermal hydrogen storage alloy compositions that provide superior performance, including an electrochemical hydrogen storage alloy that provides superior low temperature discharge characteristics. The alloy compositions include microstructures in the interface region that are highly porous and that include catalytic metallic particles. The microstructures include a large volume fraction of voids having spherical or channel-like shapes and are sufficiently open structurally to facilitate greater mobility of reactive species within the microstructure and in the vicinity of catalytic metallic particles. Greater accessibility to reactive sites accordingly results. The greater mobility of reactive species and/or the greater density of catalytic particles lead to faster kinetics and improved performance (e.g. higher power), especially at low operating temperatures. The microstructures may be formed through inclusion of a microstructure tuning element in the alloy composition, through control of processing conditions and/or through inclusion of etching steps in the post-formation processing of hydrogen storage alloys.
摘要:
A method for making a composite positive electrode material for use in electrochemical cells. The composite material includes a particle of positive electrode material and a conductive material at least partially embedded within the interior of the particle of positive electrode material.
摘要:
A process for producing hydrogen gas from a reaction of an organic substance and a base with a recycling of a carbonate or bicarbonate by-product and a regeneration of the base. In one embodiment, reaction of an organic substance and a base produces hydrogen gas and a metal carbonate. The instant invention provides recycling of the metal carbonate by-product.
摘要:
A base-facilitated process for producing hydrogen. Hydrogen is produced from a reaction of carbonaceous matter with a base and water, preferably through the formation of a bicarbonate or carbonate by-product. The base-facilitated hydrogen-producing reactions are thermodynamically more spontaneous and are able to produce hydrogen gas at less extreme reaction conditions than conventional reformation or gasification reactions of carbonaceous matter. In another embodiment, the instant reactions permit the production of hydrogen from carbonaceous matter without the production of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. In a preferred embodiment, the carbonaceous matter is coal or a derivative thereof.
摘要:
A process for producing hydrogen gas from a reaction of an organic substance and a base with a recycling of a carbonate or bicarbonate by-product and a regeneration of the base. In one embodiment, reaction of an organic substance and a base produces hydrogen gas and a metal carbonate. The instant invention provides recycling of the metal carbonate by-product. In a preferred embodiment, the metal carbonate by-product is soluble and recycling includes a three step process. In a first step, the soluble metal carbonate is reacted with a metal hydroxide to form a weakly soluble or insoluble metal carbonate that precipitates in a metathesis reaction. The metal hydroxide reactant of the hydrogen producing reaction is also formed in the metathesis reaction and remains in solution. Precipitation of the carbonate thus permits ready isolation of the carbonate by-product, while leaving behind an aqueous metal hydroxide phase that can be returned to and further utilized in the hydrogen producing reaction. The metal carbonate precipitate of the metathesis reaction is thermally decomposed to form a metal oxide solid in a second step. In a third step, the metal oxide is reacted with water to reform the metal hydroxide reactant of the metathesis reaction. The hydrogen producing reaction and recycling process are sustainable in that the metal hydroxide reactant of each reactant is regenerated in the recycling process. In an alternative embodiment, the hydrogen producing reaction produces a metal carbonate precipitate directly and recycling occurs through thermal decomposition of the metal carbonate to form a metal oxide followed by reaction of the metal oxide with water to reform the metal hydroxide employed in the hydrogen producing reaction. In yet another embodiment, a bicarbonate by-product is formed by a hydrogen producing reaction of an organic substance and a base and bicarbonate recovery occurs by heating the bicarbonate to form a carbonate and recycling according to the instant carbonate recycling process.