Co-catalyst proton exchange membrane fuel cell utilizing borohydride fuels
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsJoseph W. Tsang, Ravi Prasad
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Abstract
Two co-catalysts selected from the transitional metals can be employed in proton exchange membrane fuel cells to catalyze a borohydride anolyte, such that diatomic hydrogen produced on the surface of a particle of a first catalyst is diffused to an adjacent surface of a particle of a second catalyst. At the second catalyst the diatomic hydrogen is catalyzed to produce hydrogen ions, which are employed as the mobile ion transported across the electrolyte concurrent with the generation of electrical current. The apparatus operates without the accumulation of hydrogen gas, except as adhered to the surface of the two catalysts.
Claims30
A proton exchange membrane fuel cell comprising:
- a membrane electrode assembly comprising a proton permeable membrane bonded on one side to a porous anode and bonded on the opposite side to a porous cathode;
- a continuous supply of a borohydride anolyte and a means of flowing the anolyte over the anode of the cell;
- a continuous supply of a catholyte and a means of flowing the catholyte over the cathode of the cell;
- a first anode catalyst embedded in surface of the anode and catalyzing the anolyte to generate hydrogen;
- a second anode catalyst embedded in surface of the anode and catalyzing hydrogen produced by the first anode catalyst to generate hydrogen ions;
- and
- a cathode catalyst embedded in surface of the cathode and catalyzing the catholyte.
A method of obtaining electrical power through the electrochemical conversion of a continuous supply of a borohydride anolyte within a proton exchange membrane fuel cell having a membrane electrode assembly comprising a proton permeable membrane bonded on one side to a porous anode and bonded on the opposite side to a porous cathode, the method comprising the steps of:
- selecting and embedding in surface of the anode a first anode catalyst to generate hydrogen by catalyzing the anolyte;
- and
- selecting and embedding in surface of the anode a second anode catalyst to generate hydrogen ions by catalyzing hydrogen produced by the first catalyst;
- selecting and embedding in surface of the cathode a cathode catalyst to catalyze the catholyte;
- flowing the catholyte over the cathode of the cell;
- and
- flowing the anolyte over the anode of the cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.