Mcgill University

Pitney Bowes Inc.

Hydro-quebec

Other

The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/mcgill University

Martinex R & D Inc.

Mxt Inc.

Martinex Science, Inc.

Hydro-quabac

John O Strom-Olsen

Leszek Zaluski

Robert Schulz

Alicja Zaluska

Piotr Z Rudkowski

Sabin Boily

Jacques Huot

Stephan Brauer

Thomas Lebeau

Xinhe Chen

Dominic H Ryan

Jan Kycia

Bipin Patel

Le Xiang Liao

Francois Dumais

Grazyna Rudkowska

Dominic Hugh Ryan

Zaven Altounian

A deactivating element for a magnetic surveillance marker has the form of a wire with substantially-circular cross-section in which alternating body segments are of a magnetizable material having a magnetic remanence of at least 0.2 Tesla and a non-magnetizable material respectively; the non-magnetizable material has a magnetic saturation of not more than 0.05 Tesla.

Deactivating element for magnetic marker and method of making same

Hydrogen storage compositions which liberate hydrogen readily and which are readily regenerated from a dehydrogenated state formed by liberation of hydrogen are derived from an AlH -based complex hydride incorporating a member selected from a metalloid such as B, C, Si, P and S, a metal such as Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Zn, Ga, In and Sn, a metal which forms a stable hydride such as Be, Mg, Ca, Ti, V, Y, Zr and La and a second AlH -based complex hydride.

Reversible hydrogen storage composition

A hydrogen storage composition has a hydrogenated state and a dehydrogenated state; the hydrogenated state comprises a hydrided composition of lithium and an element M which forms a hydride, for example Be or Mg, an element E which forms a compound or solid solution with lithium, e.g. C, B or Zn, or a mixture thereof; there are thus provided reversible Li-based hydrides of high hydrogen capacity.

Li-based hydrogen storage composition

A power of an alloy of Ni and Mg, La, Be or Li, consisting of crystallites having a grain size lower than 100 nm and a crystalline structure allowing hydrogen absorption. This powder which is preferably obtained by mechanical grinding, may consist of cristallites of Mg,Ni, LaNi,or of Ni-based alloys of Be or Li having a grain size lower than 100 nm. The powder may also consist of cristallites of formula Mg,Ni,, x ranging from &minus;0.3 to &plus;0.3, which have a grain size lower than 100 nm, and preferably lower than 30 nm. This crystalline powder is particularly useful for storing and transporting hydrogen. Indeed, it has been discovered that such Ni-based nanocrystalline powder requires no or only one single activation treatment at low temperature to absorb hydrogen. It has also been discovered that the kinetic of absorption and diffusion of hydrogen within the powder is much faster. This can be explained by the presence of a large number of grain boundaries.

Nanocrystalline Ni-based alloys

Disclosed is a method for inducing desorption of hydrogen for a metal hydride by applying thereto sufficient energy to induce hydrogen desorption by endothermic reaction. The energy that is so-applied is non-thermal and selected from the group consisting of mechanical energy, ultrasonic energy, microwave energy, electric energy, chemical energy and radiation energy.

Method for inducing hydrogen desorption from a metal hydride

A powder of an alloy of Ni and Mg, La, Be or Li, consisting of crystallites having a grain size lower than 100 nm and a crystalline structure allowing hydrogen absorption. This powder which is preferably obtained by mechanical grinding, may consist of cristallites of Mg.sub.2 Ni, LaNi.sub.5 or of Ni-based alloys of Be or Li having a grain size lower than 100 nm. The powder may also consist of cristallites of formula Mg.sub.2-x Ni.sub.1+x, x ranging from -0.3 to +0.3, which have a grain size lower than 100 nm, and preferably lower than 30 nm. This crystalline powder is particularly useful for storing and transporting hydrogen. Indeed, it has been discovered that such Ni-based nanocrystalline powder requires no or only one single activation treatment at low temperature to absorb hydrogen. It has also been discovered that the kinetic of absorption and diffusion of hydrogen within the powder is much faster. This can be explained by the presence of a large number of grain boundaries.

Disclosed is a very light-weight, Mg and Be-based material which has the ability to reversibly store hydrogen with very good kinetics. This material is of the formula (M.sub.1-x A.sub.x) D.sub.y wherein M is Mg, Be or a combination of them; A is an element selected from the group consisting of Li, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Al, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, In, Sn, O, Si, B, C and F; D is a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir and Pt (preferably Pd); x is a number ranging from 0 to 0.3; and y is a number ranging from 0 to 0.15. This material is in the form of a powder of particles of the formula M.sub.1-x A.sub.x as defined hereinabove, having an average size ranging from 0.1 to 100 .mu.m, each particle consisting of nanocrystalline grains having an average size of 3 to 100 nm or having a nano-layered structure with a layer spacing of 3 to 100 nm. Some of these particles have clusters of metal D attached thereto, with an average size ranging from 2 to 200 nm. Also disclosed are a process for preparing this material which has a very high hydrogen absorption capacity, and a method of use of the same for the transportation and/or storage of hydrogen and/or the storage of thermal energy.

Nanocrystalline Mg or Be-based materials and use thereof for the

Disclosed is a nanocrystalline composite useful for hydrogen storage, which provides optimum hydrogenation conditions along with high hydrogen storage capacity. This composite is the combination of at least one high temperature metal hydride such as Mg or Mg.sub.2 Ni, which has a high hydrogen storage capacity by weight but requires high temperatures for hydrogen absorption and desorption, with at least one low temperature metal hydride such as FeTi, LaNi.sub.5, Nb, Mn or Pd, which has a low hydrogen storage capacity by weight but does not require high temperatures for hydrogen absorption and desorption. The high and low temperature metal hydrides are in direct contact with each other and each in the form of a nanocrystalline powder or layer. This composite is particularly useful as a hydrogen supply source for hydrogen-fueled vehicles.

Nanocrystalline composite for hydrogen storage

Nanocrystalline Ni-based alloys and use thereof for the transportation

Permanent magnet material containing a rare-earth element, iron,

A free formed ceramic filament has a small, uniform diameter throughout and is substantially 100% dense, made from a material which exhibits a viscosity of less than 10 poise and has a physical structure that is partially amorphous with the balance, made up of complex crystals which are less than about 5 microns or substantially made up of complex crystals which are less than substantially 5 microns and has an outer surface which is substantially smooth throughout, except for a substantially linear matt surfaced line, which extends longitudinally along the outer surface of the filament.

Ceramic fibers, and methods, machines and compositions of matter for

A rechargeable battery has a pair of electrodes, one having nickel hydrox as the active component and the other comprising as active component an amorphous alloy of at least one element selected from the group consisting of early transition metals and rare earth metals; and at least one late transition metal; the battery displays superior characteristics as compared with conventional Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries; essentially the battery functions as a hydrogen cell, involving intercalation of hydrogen into the amorphous alloy; a new method of charging involves charging a rechargeable cell and periodically interrupting the charging for a short interval and electrically shorting the cell during the short interval.

Rechargeable electrolytic cell with amorphous alloy electrode

The instant invention is concerned with the casting of metal fibers, preferably ferrous fibers, by the melt extraction technique. The metal to be cast as a fiber is in the form of a rod which is brought into contact with a spinning wheel having a tapered perimeter. The rod is heated by electromagnetic induction by a specially designed, slightly curved spiral coil. The coil is shaped to focus the heat at, or close to, the tip of the rod so to induce a meniscus. The rod is fed the through an opening in a guide that acts as a heat sink to carry away excess heat and prevent the rod from melting except at its tip. The spinning wheel is placed in contact with the melted portion of the rod and forms the fibers as it is rotated.

Apparatus and method for fabrication of metallic fibers having a small

Amorphous ferromagnetic alloys having a niobium content in the range of 2.5 to 15 atomic percent have been conceived. These alloys are obtained directly in the amorphous state or as a mixture of amorphous and crystalline places. These alloys have superior properties relative to prior known amorphous and some amorphous alloys. The amorphous ferromagnetic alloys of this invention are readily produced by rapid solidification techniques with no need for subsequent treatment.

Growing community of inventors

Montreal, Canada

John O Strom-Olsen