University of Illinois

Los Alamos National Security, LLC

Andrzej Wieckowski

Piotr Zelenay

Jong-Ho Choi

Dianxue Cao

Richard I Masel

Piotr Waszczuk

Nicolas Alonso-Vante

Paul J A Kenis

Eric R Choban

Cynthia A Rice

Cynthia A York

A method of making an electrode catalyst material using aqueous solutions. The electrode catalyst material includes a support comprising at least one transition metal and at least one chalcogen disposed on a surface of the transition metal. The method includes reducing a metal powder, mixing the metal powder with an aqueous solution containing at least one inorganic compound of the chalcogen to form a mixture, and providing a reducing agent to the mixture to form nanoparticles of the electrode catalyst. The electrode catalyst may be used in a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell.

Method of making chalcogen catalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cells

A methanol-tolerant cathode catalyst and a membrane electrode assembly for fuel cells that includes such a cathode catalyst. The cathode catalyst includes a support having at least one transition metal in elemental form and a chalcogen disposed on the support. Methods of making the cathode catalyst and membrane electrode assembly are also described.

Chalcogen catalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cell

An electrochemical cell, comprises (a) a first electrode, (b) a second electrode, (c) a first fluid, in contact with the first electrode, and (d) a second fluid, in contact with the second electrode. The first fluid and the second fluid are in parallel laminar flow, and the first fluid has a pH different from the second fluid.

Membraneless electrochemical cell and microfluidic device without pH constraint

A membrane electrode assembly for use with a direct organic fuel cell containing a formic acid fuel includes a solid polymer electrolyte having first and second surfaces, an anode on the first surface and a cathode on the second surface and electrically linked to the anode. The solid polymer electrolyte has a thickness t: where Cis the formic acid fuel concentration over the anode, Dis the effective diffusivity of the fuel in the solid polymer electrolyte, Kis the equilibrium constant for partition coefficient for the fuel into the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, &#x2111; is Faraday's constant nis the number of electrons released whenmolecule of the fuel is oxidized, and jis an empirically determined crossover rate of fuel above which the fuel cell does not operate.

Fuel cell membranes and crossover prevention

A direct organic fuel cell includes a formic acid fuel solution having between about 10% and about 95% formic acid. The formic acid is oxidized at an anode. The anode may include a Pt/Pd catalyst that promotes the direct oxidation of the formic acid via a direct reaction path that does not include formation of a CO intermediate.

Growing community of inventors

Champaign, IL, United States of America

Andrzej Wieckowski