Novel fuel cell cathodes and their fuel cells
AssigneeEnergy Conversion Devices, Inc.
InventorsStanford R. Ovshinsky, Boyko Aladjov, Srinivasan Venkatesan, Subhash Dhar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fuel cell cathodes and instant startup fuel cells employing the cathode. The cathodes operate through the mechanism of redox couples which uniquely provide multiple degrees of freedom in selecting the operating voltages available for such fuel cells. Such cathodes provide the fuel cells in which they are used a “buffer” or “charge” of oxidizer available within the cathode at all times.
Claims53
In a fuel cell cathode including a cathode active material, the improvement comprising:
- said cathode active material having oxygen storage capacity.
In a fuel cell, said fuel cell including an cathode active material, the improvement comprising, in combination:
- said cathode active material having oxygen storage capacity.
A method of operating a hydrogen/oxide couple fuel cell continuously as a fuel cell comprising the steps of:
- a. providing at the negative electrode of said cell a hydrogen catalytic region and a storage region of hydriding material capable of reversibly storing and releasing hydrogen;
- b. continuously introducing hydrogen to said hydrogen catalytic region and said storage region to continuously catalyze and store hydrogen in said hydriding material;
- c. simultaneously and continuously releasing hydrogen from said storage region to participate in the electrochemical reaction process of said cell;
- d. providing at the positive electrode of said cell an oxygen catalytic region for dissociating oxygen;
- e. continuously introducing oxygen to said oxygen catalytic region, catalytically dissociating said oxygen and chemically forming therefrom the oxide form of said oxide couple in the charged state thereof;
- and
- f. continuously electrochemically reacting said charged state oxide form in the electrochemical reaction of said cell to continuously generate electrical energy therefrom.
In a fuel cell, said fuel cell including an anode active material, the improvement comprising, in combination:
- said anode active material having hydrogen storage capacity absorption of oxygen through said first surface region and into said active material to chemically charge said active material through oxygen absorption.
The fuel cell comprising:
- an anode having a first surface region situated to be exposed to molecular hydrogen and a second surface region situated to be exposed to an electrolyte;
- a cathode comprising an active material capable of reversibly storing energy through the mechanism of a redox couple;
- said active material having a first surface region situated to be exposed to molecular oxygen;
- said cathode first surface region including a catalytically acting component promoting the absorption of oxygen through said cathode first surface region and into said active material to chemically charge said active material through oxygen absorption;
- said cathode having a second surface region situated to be exposed to an electrolyte;
- and an electrolyte contacting said anode second surface region and said cathode second surface region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.