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US 2023/0332300 A1Published application
Electrochemical systems and methods
AssigneesCam Med Inc., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsChao Wang, Zhifei Ge, Ju Li
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AssigneesCam Med Inc., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsChao Wang, Zhifei Ge, Ju Li
Estimating the term…
Electrochemical systems and methods involving gas generation and/or consumption are generally described. In some aspects, an electrochemical system (e.g., an electrochemical cell) including a first electrode (e.g., an intercalation electrode) and a second electrode (e.g., for gas generation and/or consumption) is provided. Generation and/or consumption of gaseous species may be accomplished in some instances via application of voltages, and in some instances generated gas can deform components of the electrochemical system (e.g., compliant surfaces). The electrode materials may be chosen such that gas generation and/or consumption can be accomplished reversibly, controllably, and/or with relatively small energy input. Such properties may be useful in fluid pumping and/ or valving applications.
An electrochemical system, comprising:
An electrochemical system, comprising:
An electrochemical system, comprising:
An electrochemical system, comprising:
A method, comprising:
A method, comprising
A method, comprising:
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the electrochemical system comprises a chamber and the first electrode and second electrode are each in the chamber.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the chamber comprises a compliant surface.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the compliant surface is a membrane.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the application of at least one magnitude of voltage generates the gaseous species at the second electrode at a pressure sufficient to deform the compliant surface.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the compliant surface at least partially encloses an interior volume of the chamber.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the first electrode and/or the second electrode is exposed to an interior volume of the chamber.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein, under at least one condition, an equilibrium potential difference between the gas generation reaction and the intercalation reaction is less than or equal to 1 V, and greater than or equal to -1 V.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein, in an aqueous solution having a pH from 6-16, an equilibrium potential difference between the gas generation reaction and the intercalation reaction is less than or equal to 2 V.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein, the intercalation compound can reversibly undergo the intercalation reaction and a deintercalation reaction.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the first electrode comprises an intercalation compound.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the intercalation compound can undergo an intercalation reaction upon a first use of the electrochemical system.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the intercalation compound is a metal ion/proton intercalation compound.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the intercalation compound is a lithium ion intercalation compound.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the intercalation compound comprises a transition-metal oxide.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the transition metal oxide comprises a manganese oxide.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the intercalation compound comprises a transition-metal oxyanion.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the transition metal oxyanion comprises an iron phosphate.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the intercalation compound is a lithium ion intercalation compound.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the intercalation compound comprises a lithium manganese oxide (LiMnO2, LiMn2O4, or Li4Mn5O12).
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the intercalation compound comprises lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4).
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein, the lithium manganese oxide can be cycled in an alkaline electrolyte.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein, the alkaline electrolyte comprises one or more additives.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the one or more additives decreases an equilibrium potential of a hydrogen evolution reaction compared to that of an otherwise identical electrolyte lacking the one or more additives.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, further comprising a surface layer at least partially coating the first electrode, the surface layer configured to decrease side reactions.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the second electrode comprises a three dimensional porous current collector.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the second electrode comprises one or more catalysts for an oxygen evolution reaction and/or an oxygen reduction reaction.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the three dimensional porous current collector comprises open-channel pores with largest cross-sectional dimensions from 10 nm to 1 mm.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the electroactive compound comprises manganese or iron.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the electroactive compound comprising manganese comprises a manganese oxide.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the manganese oxide comprises manganese (IV) oxide (MnO2).
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the electroactive compound is air-stable.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the interior volume of the chamber can be at least partially filled with an electrolyte solution.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the gaseous species is oxygen gas (O2).
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the oxygen gas is generated via the oxidation of water (H2O).
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the first electrode comprises a substrate and the electroactive compound on at least a portion of the substrate.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the electroactive compound is part of a composite layer.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the second electrode comprises a non-platinum substrate.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the substrate of the second electrode is at least partially coated with an oxygen-reduction catalyst.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the substrate of the first electrode comprises an iron alloy.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the first electrode and/or the second electrode is at least partially coated with a polymer electrolyte.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the second electrode is configured to generate bubbles of the gaseous species.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the chamber has a volume of less than or equal to 50 mL.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one magnitude of voltage is less than or equal to 3 V.
The electrochemical system or method of any preceding claim, wherein the pressure sufficient to deform the compliant surface is less than or equal to 30 kPa.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the method further comprises deforming the compliant surface using the generated gaseous species.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein a magnitude of the applied voltage is less than or equal to 3 V, less than or equal to 2.8 V, less than or equal to 2.6 V, less than or equal to 2.4 V, less than or equal to 2.4 V, less than or equal to 2.2 V, less than or equal to 2.0 V, less than or equal to 1.8 V, less than or equal to 1.6 V, less than or equal to 1.4 V, less than or equal to 1.3 V, less than or equal to 1.2 V, less than or equal to 1.1 V, less than or equal to 1.0 V, less than or equal to 0.9 V, or less than or equal to 0.8 V.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein deforming the compliant surface causes a fluid to flow at least partially through a channel.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the channel is in fluid communication with the compliant surface.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein greater than or equal to 80 mol%, greater than or equal to 85 mol%, greater than or equal to 90 mol%, greater than or equal to 95 mol%, greater than or equal to 98 mol%, greater than or equal to 99 mol%, or greater than or equal to 99 mol% of a total amount of gaseous species generated in the chamber during the applying step is oxygen gas.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the method further comprises applying a second voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode such that at least a portion of the gaseous species is consumed in an electrochemical reaction.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the at least a portion of the gaseous species is consumed at the second electrode.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the method further comprises determining an amount of gaseous species consumed in the electrochemical cell using at least one electrochemical measurement.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein a volume of gaseous species generated is greater than or equal to 5 µL and less than or equal to 5 mL.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein during the step of applying the second voltage or passing the second electrical current, at least some of an intercalated metal ion or proton is released from the intercalation compound.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the chamber comprises an electrolyte in contact with the first electrode and/or the second electrode.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the electrolyte has a pH of greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 16.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.