Tel Aviv University

University of Miami

Arnon Blum

Emanuel Peled

Joshua Hare

Adi Aharon

Vladimir Zel

Yaron Konra

Kobby Saadi

Tair Duvdevani

Meital Alon

Roy Gorenshtein

Nina Travitsky

Vladimir Livshits

Meital Goor

Ido Tsamir

Courtney Premer

A catalyst composition comprising at least one precious metal, wherein the catalyst composition is capable of catalyzing, in the presence of a halogen ion or a mixture of halogen ions, a charging reaction and a discharging reaction in a regenerative fuel cell. This disclosure relates to electrodes comprising those catalysts that are useful in fuel cells. The catalysts are active towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and porous electrodes are made in a process designed to control their porosity. The catalysts and electrodes are employed in regenerative fuel cells comprising hydrogen and halogen acid or mixture of halogen acids. The catalysts are particularly useful in hydrogen/bromine reduction/oxidation reactions. The catalysts exhibit highly acceptable life and performance.

Catalysts and electrodes for fuel cells

This disclosure relates to energy storage and generation systems, e.g., combination of flow battery and hydrogen fuel cell, that exhibit operational stability in harsh environments, e.g., both charging and discharging reactions in a regenerative fuel cell in the presence of a halogen ion or a mixture of halogen ions. This disclosure also relates to energy storage and generation systems that are capable of conducting both hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) and hydrogen oxidation reactions (HORs) in the same system. This disclosure further relates to energy storage and generation systems having low cost, fast response time, and acceptable life and performance.

Energy storage and generation systems

This disclosure relates to electrochemical systems, e.g., a combination of an electrical energy source and an electrical energy storage system having a regenerative fuel cell system, that exhibit operational stability in harsh environments, e.g., both charging and discharging reactions in a regenerative fuel cell in the presence of an acid or a mixture of acids, or a halogen ion or a mixture of halogen ions. The electrochemical systems are capable of conducting both hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) and hydrogen oxidation reactions (HORs) in the same system. The electrochemical systems have low cost, fast response time, and acceptable life and performance. This disclosure also relates to methods of operating the electrochemical systems containing a regenerative fuel cell system.

Electrochemical systems and methods of operating same

A bipolar plate and regenerative fuel cell stacks including the bipolar plates and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) alternately stacked. The bipolar plate comprises a plate main body formed of an electrically conductive material. The plate main body has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. Each surface has reaction flow channels through which fluids pass. The reaction flow channels on the first surface have a plurality of ribs therebetween forming an interdigitate flow field pattern. The reaction flow channels on the second surface have a plurality of ribs therebetween forming an interdigitate flow field pattern or a flow field pattern different from an interdigitate flow field pattern, e.g., a serpentine flow field pattern.

Bipolar plates and regenerative fuel cell stacks including same

A process for producing proton-conducting membrane, the process comprising: mixing (i) 5% to 60% by volume of an electrically nonconductive inorganic powder having a good acid absorption capacity, the powder comprising essentially nanosize particles; (ii) 5% to 50% by volume of a polymeric binder that is chemically compatible with acid, oxygen and the fuel; and (iii) 10 to 90% by volume of an acid or aqueous acid solution, wherein the mixing is conducted at various rate steps, thereby producing a proton-conducting mixture; continuously casting the proton-conducting mixture on rolled paper, non-woven matrix or the like at ambient temperature; drying the casted proton-conducting mixture at a temperature of greater than 100&#xb0; C. for approximately 5 to 30 minutes, thereby forming a dry film; and laminating a plurality of the dry films together under pressure, and thereafter extracting pore-former out of pores of the dry films, thereby forming the proton-conducting membrane having an average pore size of less than 30 nanometers.

Method of manufacturing proton-conducting membranes

The present invention provides a cathode and a fuel cell, which are built to prevent escape of liquids, e.g. water and fuel solution, from the cell. Thus, according to a first aspect thereof, the present invention provides a cathode suitable for use in a fuel cell having a proton conducting membrane, the cathode comprising a plurality of layers including a catalyst layer and a hydrophobic porous support layer, wherein at least one of said plurality of layers is a liquid water leak-proof layer, which allows gas to pass through it and prevents passage of liquid water and/or aqueous fuel solution.

Growing community of inventors

Mobile Post Shikmim, Israel

Arnon Blum