University of Pittsburgh

Commonwealth System of Higher Education

Moni Kanchan Datta

Prashant Nagesh Kumta

Oleg Velikokhatnyi

Partha Saha

Prashanth Jampani Hanumantha

Karan Sandeep Kadakia

Ayyakkannu Manivannan

Da-Tren Chou

Bharat Gattu

Pavithra Murugavel Shanthi

Prashanth J Hanumantha

Ramalinga Kuruba

Dae Ho Hong

Shrinath Ghadge

Sung Jae Chung

Prasad P Patel

The invention provides noble metal-free electro-catalyst compositions for use in acidic media, e.g., acidic electrolyte. The noble metal-free electro-catalyst compositions include non-noble metal absent of noble metal. The non-noble metal is non-noble metal oxide, and typically in the form of any configuration of a solid or hollow nano-material, e.g., nano-particles, a nanocrystalline thin film, nanorods, nanoshells, nanoflakes, nanotubes, nanoplates, nanospheres and nanowhiskers or combinations of myriad nanoscale architecture embodiments. Optionally, the noble metal-free electro-catalyst compositions include dopant, such as, but not limited to halogen. Acidic media includes oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, and direct methanol fuel cells and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in PEM-based water electrolysis and metal air batteries, and hydrogen generation from solar energy and electricity-driven water splitting.

Highly active, robust and versatile multifunctional, fully non-noble metals based electro-catalyst compositions and methods of making for energy conversion and storage

The invention relates to Chevrel-phase materials and methods of preparing these materials utilizing a precursor approach. The Chevrel-phase materials are useful in assembling electrodes, e.g., cathodes, for use in electrochemical cells, such as rechargeable batteries. The Chevrel-phase materials have a general formula of MoZ(Z=sulfur) or MoZZ(Z=sulfur; Z=selenium), and partially cuprated CuMoSas well as partially de-cuprated CuMgMoSand the precursors have a general formula of MMoZor MMoZZ, M=Cu. The cathode containing the Chevrel-phase material in accordance with the invention can be combined with a magnesium-containing anode and an electrolyte.

Cathodes and electrolytes for rechargeable magnesium batteries and methods of manufacture

The invention, relates to flexible, thin trim batteries for use in a variety of applications including, but not limited to, flexible electronics, flexible energy storage systems, wearable textile-like energy devices and various other integrated electronic and mobile device-based applications. The flexible, thin, film batteries allow the design and development of weavable, conformable, wearable and flexible components for advanced battery technology. The invention relates to flexible energy storage system that include an electrospun, textile-like, weaved assembly including a flexible cathode, a flexible anode, and an electrolyte. The electrolyte can include a flexible gel-polymer and a nanostractured filler.

Weavable, conformable, wearable and flexible components for advanced battery technology

The invention relates to biodegradable iron alloy-containing compositions for use in preparing medical devices. In addition, biodegradable crystalline and amorphous compositions of the invention exhibit properties that make them suitable for use as medical devices for implantation into a body of a patient. The compositions include elemental iron and one or more elements selected from manganese, magnesium, zirconium, zinc and calcium. The compositions can be prepared using a high energy milling technique. The resulting compositions and the devices formed therefrom are useful in various surgical procedures, such as but not limited to orthopedic, craniofacial and cardiovascular.

Biodegradable iron-containing compositions, methods of preparing and applications therefor

The invention relates to lithium ion batteries and, more particularly, to lithium ion conducting composite polymer electrolyte separators. The separators include a nanofiber mat composed of electrospun nanofibers. The nanofibers include a polymer having one or more polar halogen groups, a lithium-containing solid or liquid electrolyte and nanoparticle filler. The polymer, electrolyte and filler are combined to form a solution that is subjected to the electro-spinning process to produce electrospun nanofibers in the form of the mat.

Electrospinning of PVdF-HFP: novel composite polymer electrolytes (CPES) with enhanced ionic conductivities for lithium-sulfur batteries

The invention relates to composite multilayer lithium ion battery anodes that include a porous metal alloy foam, and a lithium ion conductor coating applied to the metal alloy foam. The metal alloy foam can include structurally isomorphous alloys of lithium and, optionally, lithium and magnesium. The lithium ion conductor coating can include ternary lithium silicate, such as, lithium orthosilicate. Lithium ions from the ternary lithium silicate may be deposited within the pores of the metal alloy foam. Optionally, the lithium ion conductor coating may include a dopant. The dopant can include one or more of magnesium, calcium, vanadium, niobium and fluorine, and mixtures and combinations thereof.

High capacity, air-stable, structurally isomorphous lithium alloy multilayer porous foams

Biodegradable compositions containing from 10.0 to 95.0 weight percent iron for use in preparing medical devices. These biodegradable compositions exhibit properties that make them suitable for use as medical devices for implantation into a body of a patient. The compositions also include one or more elements selected from manganese, magnesium, zirconium, zinc and calcium. The compositions can be prepared using a high energy milling technique and high energy mechanical alloying followed by compaction and sintering, film deposition techniques, such as, pulsed laser deposition (PLD), as well as melting, casting, homogenization and extrusion methods. The resulting compositions and the medical devices formed therefrom are useful in various surgical procedures, such as but not limited to orthopedic, craniofacial and cardiovascular.

The invention provides electro-catalyst compositions for an anode electrode of an acid mediated proton exchange membrane-based water electrolysis system. The compositions include a noble metal component selected from the group consisting of iridium oxide, ruthenium oxide, rhenium oxide and mixtures thereof, and a non-noble metal component selected from the group consisting of tantalum oxide, tin oxide, niobium oxide, titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, molybdenum oxide, yttrium oxide, scandium oxide, cooper oxide, zirconium oxide, nickel oxide and mixtures thereof. Further, the non-noble metal component can include a dopant. The dopant can be at least one element selected from Groups III, V, VI and VII of the Periodic Table. The compositions can be prepared using any solution based methods involving a surfactant approach or a sol gel approach. Further, the compositions are prepared using noble metal and non-noble metal precursors. Furthermore, a thin film containing the compositions can be deposited onto a substrate to form the anode electrode.

Non-noble metal based electro-catalyst compositions for proton exchange membrane based water electrolysis and methods of making

The invention relates to Chevrel-phase materials and methods of preparing these materials utilizing a precursor approach. The Chevrel-phase materials are useful in assembling electrodes, e.g., cathodes, for use in electrochemical cells, such as rechargeable batteries. The Chevrel-phase materials have a general formula of MoZand the precursors have a general formula of MMoZ. The cathode containing the Chevrel-phase material in accordance with the invention can be combined with a magnesium-containing anode and an electrolyte.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Moni Kanchan Datta