Use of fluidized-bed electrode reactors for alane production
AssigneeArdica Technologies, Inc.
InventorsSteven Crouch-Baker, Mark A. Petrie, David Stout, Francis Tanzella
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Abstract
Fluidized-bed reactors for producing alane are provided herein. An exemplary process includes inducing an electrical potential difference in an electrolyte solution to produce an anolyte solution that includes an alane adduct, wherein an electrical potential difference is generated between anode aluminum particles and a cathode, the electrolyte solution including an alkali metal hydride dissolved in a solvent, the anode aluminum particles and cathode being separated by a diaphragm.
Claims20
A reactor, comprising:
- an aluminum anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte that comprises at least one alkali metal aluminum hydride dissolved in a solvent, the alkali metal aluminum hydride comprising at least one of sodium aluminum hydride and lithium aluminum hydride;
- a generator for inducing an electric potential difference between the aluminum anode and the cathode to convert at least a portion of the electrolyte into an alane adduct;
- a reactor housing;
- and
- a diaphragm disposed between the aluminum anode and the cathode, the diaphragm dividing the reactor housing into an anode chamber comprising aluminum particles and a cathode chamber.
A method, comprising:
- inducing an electrical potential in an electrolyte solution to produce an anolyte solution that includes an alane adduct, wherein an electrical potential difference is generated between anode aluminum particles and cathode particles, the electrolyte solution comprising at least one of sodium aluminum hydride and lithium aluminum hydride dissolved in a solvent, the anode aluminum particles and the cathode particles being separated by a diaphragm.
A method for reducing a functional group in a molecule, the method comprising:
- reacting the molecule with a reducing agent comprising a hydride donor formed by inducing an electrical potential difference in an electrolyte solution to produce an anolyte solution that includes an alane adduct, the electrical potential difference being generated between anode aluminum particles and cathode particles, the electrolyte solution comprising at least one of sodium aluminum hydride and lithium aluminum hydride dissolved in a solvent, the anode aluminum particles and cathode particles being separated by a diaphragm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.