Electrochemical cells comprising laminar flow induced dynamic conducting interfaces, electronic devices comprising such cells, and methods employing same
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
InventorsLarry J. Markoski, Jeffrey S. Moore, Joseph W. Lyding
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Abstract
An electrochemical cell is described that includes (a) a first electrode; (b) a second electrode; and (c) a channel contiguous with at least a portion of the first and the second electrodes. When a first liquid is contacted with the first electrode, a second liquid is contacted with the second electrode, and the first and the second liquids flow through the channel, a parallel laminar flow is established between the first and the second liquids. Electronic devices containing such electrochemical cells and methods for their use are also described.
Claims36
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- a first electrode
- a second electrode;
- and
- a channel contiguous with at least a portion of the first and the second electrodes;
- such that when a first liquid is contacted with the first electrode, a second liquid is contacted with the second electrode, and the first and the second liquids flow through the channel, a parallel laminar flow is established between the first and the second liquids, and a current density of at least 0.1 mA/cm2is produced.
A method of generating electricity comprising:
- flowing a first liquid and a second liquid through a channel in parallel laminar flow, wherein the first liquid is in contact with a first electrode and the second liquid is in contact with a second electrode, wherein complementary half cell reactions take place at the first and the second electrodes, respectively, and wherein a current density of at least 0.1 mA/cm2 is produced.
A fuel cell comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein ions travel from the first electrode to the second electrode without traversing a membrane, and wherein a current density of at least 0.1 mA/cm2 is produced.
In a fuel cell comprising a first liquid containing a fuel in contact with a first electrode, a second liquid containing an oxidant in contact with a second electrode, and a membrane separating the first and the second electrodes, the improvement comprising replacing the membrane with a parallel laminar flow of the first and the second liquids, and providing each of the first liquid and the second liquid with a common electrolyte.
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- a support having a surface;
- a first electrode connected to the surface of the support;
- a second electrode connected to the surface of the support and electrically coupled to the first electrode;
- a spacer connected to the surface of the support, which spacer forms a partial enclosure around at least a portion of the first and the second electrodes;
- and
- a microchannel contiguous with at least a portion of the first and the second electrodes, the microchannel being defined by the surface of the support and the spacer;
- such that when a first liquid is contacted with the first electrode, and a second liquid is contacted with the second electrode, a parallel laminar flow is established between the first and the second liquids, and a current density of at least 0.1 mA/cm2 is produced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.