Flexible electrochemical heater
AssigneeUniversity of Cincinnati
InventorsWilliam E. Kuhn, Kwoh H. Hu, Stanley A. Black
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Abstract
This invention is for an inexpensive flexible heater material (heat pad) for food heating, medical compresses and the like. The heat pad is a composite material consisting of a supercorroding metallic alloy powder dispersed throughout a porous polyethylene matrix. The supercorroding alloy material consists of a powdered alloy of magnesium and iron which is produced by high energy powder metallurgical milling techniques. Pressureless sintering of a mixture of the supercorroding alloy powders with UHMW polyethylene powder results in the formation of a flexible porous matrix material with active ingredients therein that are readily activated with a suitable electrolyte fluid.
Claims25
An electrochemical heating device capable of generating heat at a controlled rate, comprising:
- a. a container adapted to be placed against an article so as to transfer heat developed within the container to the article;
- b. at least one stand-alone flexible heating element disposed within said container;
- c. said flexible heating element comprising a totally integrated sintered composite structure of blended powdered polymeric material and supercorroding metallic alloy powders dispersed throughout in the form of a porous matrix;
- d. means for sealing said container, making the container air-impermeable;
- e. said flexible heating element being operable to be wetted and activated with an electrolyte to generate heat through electrochemical reactions.
A flexible composite, stand-alone, electrochemical heating element for the generation of heat and hydrogen, adaptable for use both as a thermal device and energy source, comprising:
- a. a blended mixture of powdered polymeric material and supercorroding metallic alloy powders dispersed throughout said material;
- b. said mixture being sintered to form an integrated flexible porous matrix structure;
- c. said flexible sintered porous matrix structure being operable to be wetted and activated with an electrolyte to generate heat and hydrogen through electrochemical reactions.
An electrochemical heating blanket capable of producing heat at a controlled rate, comprising:
- a. a flexible envelope adapted to be wrapped around an article so as to transfer heat developed within the envelope to the article;
- b. at least one stand-alone flexible heating element disposed within said envelope;
- c. said flexible heating element comprising a totally integrated sintered composite structure of blended powdered polymeric material and supercorroding metallic alloy powders dispersed throughout in the form of a porous matrix;
- d. said flexible heating element being operable to be wetted and activated with an electrolyte to generate heat through electrochemical reactions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.