Enhancing electrochemical methods for producing and regenerating alane by using electrochemical catalytic additive
AssigneeSavannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
InventorRagaiy Zidan
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Abstract
A process of using an electrochemical cell to generate aluminum hydride (AlH3) and other high capacity hydrides is provided. The electrolytic cell uses an electro-catalytic-additive within a polar non-salt containing solvent to solubilize an ionic hydride such as NaAlH4 or LiAlH4. The resulting electrochemical process results in the formation of AlH3 adduct. AlH3 is obtained from the adduct by heating under vacuum. The AlH3 can be recovered and used as a source of hydrogen for the automotive industry. The resulting spent aluminum can be regenerated into NaAlH4 or LiAlH4 as part of a closed loop process of AlH3 generation.
Claims10
An electrochemical process of producing AlH3 comprising:
- supplying an anode;
- supplying a cathode;
- placing said anode and said cathode in an electrolytic solution consisting of THF, an electro-catalytic-additive wherein said electrode-catalytic additive is a halide according to the formula MX where M is Li or Na and X is F, Cl, Br, or I, and an electrolyte selected from the group consisting of NaAlH4, LiAlH4, KAlH4, triethylenediamines, aluminum etherates, and combinations thereof, wherein the electro-catalytic-additive does not act as an electrolyte within the electrolytic solution by having no significant effect on resistance or conductivity of the electrolytic solution;
- and
- passing a current through the electrochemical cell to form an alane adduct, with the electro-catalytic-additive increasing the current passing through the electrochemical cell thereby increasing an efficiency in the formation in the alane adduct;
- and
- recovering AlH3 from the alane adduct.
The electrochemical process of producing AlH3 comprising:
- supplying an anode selected from the materials of palladium, titanium, zirconium, aluminum, magnesium, calcium, or hydride forming metals;
- supplying a cathode selected from platinum or a metallic hydride;
- recovering aluminum from dehydrided AlH3;
- forming LiAlH4 from direct hydrogenation of the recovered aluminum;
- placing said anode and said cathode in an electrolytic solution consisting essentially of THF, an electro-catalytic-additive wherein said electrode-catalytic additive is a halide according to the formula MX where M is Li or Na and X is F, Cl, Br, or I, and the formed LiAlH4, wherein the electro-catalytic-additive does not act as an electrolyte within the electrolytic solution by having no significant effect on resistance or conductivity of the electrolytic solution;
- passing a current through the electrochemical cell to form AlH3 adduct with the electro-catalytic-additive increasing the current passing through the electrochemical cell thereby increasing an efficiency in the formation in the AlH3 adduct;
- and,
- heating the AlH3 adduct in a vacuum and thereby recovering AlH3.
An electrochemical process of producing an alane comprising:
- supplying an, anode selected from the materials of palladium, titanium, zirconium, aluminum, magnesium, calcium, and, combinations thereof;
- supplying a cathode selected from the materials of platinum, a metallic hydride, and combinations thereof;
- placing said anode and said cathode in an electrolytic solution consisting essentially of THF, an electro-catalytic-additive wherein said electrode-catalytic additive is a halide according to the formula MX where M is Li or Na and X is F, Cl, Br, or I, and an electrolyte selected from the group consisting of NaAlH4, LiAlH4, KAlH4, triethylenediamines, aluminum etherates, and combinations thereof, wherein the electro-catalytic-additive does not act as an electrolyte within the electrolytic solution by having no significant effect on resistance or conductivity of the electrolytic solution;
- and
- passing a current through the electrochemical cell to form an alane adduct with the electro-catalytic-additive increasing the current passing through the electrochemical cell thereby increasing an efficiency in the formation in the alane adduct.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.