Polymer formulation for removing hydrogen and liquid water from an enclosed space
AssigneeSandia National Laboratories
InventorTimothy J. Shepodd
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention describes a solution to the particular problem of liquid water formation in hydrogen getters exposed to quantities of oxygen. Water formation is usually desired because the recombination reaction removes hydrogen without affecting gettering capacity and the oxygen removal reduces the chances for a hydrogen explosion once free oxygen is essentially removed. The present invention describes a getter incorporating a polyacrylate compound that can absorb up to 500% of its own weight in liquid water without significantly affecting its hydrogen gettering/recombination properties, but that also is insensitive to water vapor.
Claims19
A hydrogen getter composition for removing hydrogen and liquid water formed as the result of a hydrogen/oxygen catalysis, comprising:
- an organic polymer having unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds;
- a hydrogenation catalyst distributed throughout said getter composition wherein said hydrogenation catalyst is in reactive association with said unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds;
- and
- a liquid water absorbing polyacrylate distributed throughout said getter composition, for absorbing liquid water.
A hydrogen getter composition for removing hydrogen from within an enclosed space, comprising:
- an organic polymer, said organic polymer further comprising a plurality of repeating monomer units, said units having up to six side branches, said side branches further comprising C1–C8 alkyl that contain or are substituted with one or more functionalities selected from the group consisting of C2–C8 alkene, C2–C8 alkyne, C1–C8 ether, C1–C8 alcohol, C1–C8 ester, phenyl, C1–C10 anhydride, C1–C8 isocyanate, C1–C8 ketone, C1–C8 epoxide, and C1–C8 carboxylic acid such that each said unit contains at least one carbon-carbon double bond;
- a hydrogenation catalyst consisting essentially of a noble metal catalyst and an inert catalyst support material, said hydrogenation catalyst distributed throughout said hydrogen getter composition wherein said double bonds and said noble metal catalyst are in reactive association;
- an inert diluent, said diluent selected from the list consisting of carbon black powders, mineral powders, salts, thixotropic agents and combinations thereof;
- and
- a liquid water absorbing polyacrylate distributed throughout said hydrogen getter composition.
A hydrogen getter composition, comprising:
- at least one of a polymeric compound consisting of units described as:
- wherein:
- R1,–R6 may be the same or different and comprise hydrogen, or C1–C8 alkyl that contain or are substituted with one or more functionalities selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C2–C8 alkene, C2–C8 alkyne, C1–C8 ether, C1–C8 alcohol, C1–C8 ester, phenyl, C1–C10 anhydride, C1–C8 isocyanate, C1–C8 ketone, C1–C8 epoxide, and C1–C8 carboxylic acid, wherein at least one of R1–R4 contain at least one carbon-carbon double bond, and wherein the functionalities may be partially reacted together, thereby crosslinking some or all of the polymer compound of formula (I) or formula (II);
- P1–P4 are terminal groups selected from the group consisting of hydrogen or C1–C8 alkyl that contain or are substituted with one or more functionalities selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C2–C8 alkene, C2–C8 alkyne, C1–C8 ether, C1–C8 alcohol, C1–C8 ester, phenyl, C1–C10 anhydride, C1–C8 isocyanate, C1–C8 ketone, C1–C8 epoxide, and C1–C8 carboxylic acid;
- and
- n is from 5–10000;
- a hydrogenation catalyst consisting essentially of a noble metal catalyst and an inert catalyst support material, said hydrogenation catalyst distributed throughout said hydrogen getter composition wherein said double bonds and said noble metal catalyst are in reactive association;
- an inert diluent, said diluent selected from the list consisting of carbon black powders, mineral powders, salts, thixotropic agents and combinations thereof;
- and
- a liquid water absorbing polyacrylate distributed throughout said hydrogen getter composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.