Magnetic composites for improved electrolysis
AssigneeUniversity of Iowa Research Foundation
InventorsJohna Leddy, Lois Anne Zook, Sudath Amarasinghe
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Abstract
Magnetic composites exhibit distinct flux properties due to gradient interfaces. The composites can be used to improve fuel cells and batteries and effect transport and separation of different chemical species. Devices utilizing the composites include an electrode and improved fuel cells, batteries. Some composites, disposed on the surface of electrodes, prevent passivation of those electrodes and enable direct reformation of liquid fuels. Methods involving these composites provide distinct ways for these composites to be utilized.
Claims32
A device comprising:
- an electrode having a surface;
- and
- a magnetic composite material disposed on said surface, said magnetic composite comprising from 15% to 99.99% by weight of an ion exchange polymer and from 0.01% to 85% by weight of magnetic microbeads, wherein said magnetic composite prevents passivation of said surface of said electrode.
A fuel cell comprising:
- at least one electrode having a magnetic composite material in surface contact with said at least one electrode, said magnetic composite material comprising from about 0.01% to about 85% by weight of magnetic microbeads, from 15% to 99.9% by weight an ion exchange polymer, and up to 80% by weight of carbon particles in association with a catalyst, wherein said magnetic composite material prevents passivation of said electrode.
A microstructured magnetic composite material for coating a surface of an electrode for preventing electrode passivation comprising:
- between about 0.01% and 85% of magnetic microbeads, and from about 15% to about 99.99% of an ion exchange polymer, by weight.
A fuel cell for direct reformation of a fuel, comprising:
- at least one magnetically modified electrode, said at least one magnetically modified electrode having a magnetic composite disposed thereon;
- and delivering means for delivering a fuel to the at least one magnetically modified electrode, wherein the fuel is reformed directly at the at least one magnetically modified electrode, and the magnetic composite prevents passivation of the at least one magnetically modified electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.