Battelle Memorial Institute

Larry R Pederson

Olga A Marina

Kerry D Meinhardt

Timothy Robert Armstrong

Lawrence Andrew Chick

Gregory J Exarhos

John David Vienna

Jun Liu

Gordon Lee Graff

Zhenguo Yang

Donghai Wang

Guanguang Xia

Jiguang Zhang

Daiwon Choi

Edwin C Thomsen

John S Hardy

Peter C Rieke

Leonard S Fifield

Gregory W Coffey

Prabhaker Singh

Methods and systems for fuel, chemical, and/or electricity production from electrochemical cells are disclosed. A voltage is applied between an anode and a cathode of an electrochemical cell. The anode includes a metal or metal oxide electrocatalyst. Oxygen is supplied to the cathode, producing oxygen ions. The anode electrocatalyst is at least partially oxidized by the oxygen ions transported through an electrolyte from the cathode to the anode. A feed gas stream is supplied to the anode electrocatalyst, which is converted to a liquid fuel. The anode electrocatalyst is re-oxidized to higher valency oxides, or a mixture of oxide phases, by supplying the oxygen ions to the anode. The re-oxidation by the ions is controlled or regulated by the amount of voltage applied.

Methods and systems for fuel production in electrochemical cells and reactors

Methods of the present invention can be used to synthesize nanowires with controllable compositions and/or with multiple elements. The methods can include coating solid powder granules, which comprise a first element, with a catalyst. The catalyst and the first element should form when heated a liquid, mixed phase having a eutectic or peritectic point. The granules, which have been coated with the catalyst, can then be heated to a temperature greater than or equal to the eutectic or peritectic point. During heating, a vapor source comprising the second element is introduced. The vapor source chemically interacts with the liquid, mixed phase to consume the first element and to induce condensation of a product that comprises the first and second elements in the form of a nanowire.

Nanowire synthesis from vapor and solid sources

The present invention provides novel compositions that find advantageous use in making electrodes for electrochemical cells. Also provided are electrochemical devices that include active oxygen reduction electrodes, such as solid oxide fuel cells, sensors, pumps and the like. The compositions comprises a copper-substituted ferrite perovskite material. The invention also provides novel methods for making and using the electrode compositions and solid oxide fuel cells and solid oxide fuel cell assemblies having cathodes comprising the compositions.

Copper-substituted perovskite compositions for solid oxide fuel cell cathodes and oxygen reduction electrodes in other electrochemical devices

An anode and method of making the same wherein the anode consists of two separate phases, one consisting of a doped strontium titanate phase and one consisting of a doped cerium oxide phase. The strontium titanate phase consists of SrMTiO, where M is either yttrium (Y), scandium (Sc), or lanthanum (La), where 'x' may vary typically from about 0.01 to about 0.5, and where &#x3b4; is indicative of some degree of oxygen non-stoichiometry. A small quantity of cerium may also substitute for titanium in the strontium titanate lattice. The cerium oxide consists of NCeO, where N is either niobium (Nb), vanadium (V), antimony (Sb) or tantalum (Ta) and where 'y' may vary typically from about 0.001 to about 0.1 and wherein the ratio of Ti in said first phase to the sum of Ce and N in the second phase is between about 0.2 to about 0.75. Small quantities of strontium, yttrium, and/or lanthanum may additionally substitute into the cerium oxide lattice. The combination of these two phases results in better performance than either phase used separately as an anode for solid oxide fuel cell or other electrochemical device.

Composite solid oxide fuel cell anode based on ceria and strontium titanate

The present invention is a glass-ceramic material and method of making useful for joining a solid ceramic component and at least one other solid component. The material is a blend of M1-M2-M3, wherein M1 is BaO, SrO, CaO, MgO, or combinations thereof, M2 is Al O , present in the blend in an amount from 2 to 15 mol %, M3 is SiO with up to 50 mol % B O that substantially matches a coefficient of thermal expansion of the solid electrolyte. According to the present invention, a series of glass ceramics in the M1-Al O -M3 system can be used to join or seal both tubular and planar solid oxide fuel cells, oxygen electrolyzers, and membrane reactors for the production of syngas, commodity chemicals and other products.

Glass-ceramic joint and method of joining

The present invention is a glass-ceramic material and method of making useful for joining at least two solid ceramic parts. The seal is a blend of M O&mdash;M O &mdash;SiO that substantially matches a coefficient of thermal expansion of the solid electrolyte. According to the present invention, a series of glass ceramics in the M O&mdash;M O &mdash;SiO system can be used to join or seal both tubular and planar ceramic solid oxide fuel cells, oxygen electrolyzers, and membrane reactors for the production of syngas, commodity chemicals and other products.

Glass-ceramic material and method of making

This invention is directed to the formation of homogeneous, aqueous precursor mixtures of at least one substantially soluble metal salt and a substantially soluble, combustible co-reactant compound, typically an amino acid. This produces, upon evaporation, a substantially homogeneous intermediate material having a total solids level which would support combustion. The homogeneous intermediate material essentially comprises highly dispersed or solvated metal constituents and the co-reactant compound. The intermediate material is quite flammable. A metal oxide powder results on ignition of the intermediate product which combusts same to produce the product powder.

Method of making metal oxide ceramic powders by using a combustible

A new chemical method of forming thin ceramic films has been developed. An aqueous solution of metal nitrates or other soluble metal salts and a low molecular weight amino acid is coated onto a substrate and pyrolyzed. The amino acid serves to prevent precipitation of individual solution components, forming a very viscous, glass-like material as excess water is evaporated. Using metal nitrates and glycine, the method has been demonstrated for zirconia with various levels of yttria stabilization, for lanthanum-strontium chromites, and for yttrium-barium-copper oxide superconductors on various substrates.

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Kennewick, WA, United States of America

Larry R Pederson