Other

Inframat Corporation

University of Connecticut

Nanocell Systems, Inc.

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

U.S. Nanocorp, Inc.

Peter R Strutt

Bernard H Kear

Donald M Wang

Danny Tongsan Xiao

Chris W Strock

Tongsan D Xiao

Ross F Boland

Gan-Moog Chow

Christopher Strock

Huimin Chen

David E Reisner

Lynn K Kurihara

Raymond Zatorski

Hui Ye

Benard H Kear

T Danny Xiao

Bernhard H Kear

A solid oxide fuel cell has anode, cathode and electrolyte layers each formed essentially of a multi-oxide ceramic material and having a far-from-equilibrium, metastable structure selected from the group consisting of nanocrystalline, nanocomposite and amorphous. The electrolyte layer has a matrix of the ceramic material, and is impervious and serves as a fast oxygen ion conductor. The electrolyte layer has a matrix of the ceramic material and a dopant dispersed therein in an amount substantially greater than its equilibrium solubility in the ceramic matrix. The anode layer includes a continuous surface area metallic phase in which electron conduction is provided by the metallic phase and the multi-oxide ceramic matrix provides ionic conduction.

Metastable ceramic fuel cell and method of making same

An electrode assembly for a solid oxide fuel cell, the electrode assembly including a porous ceramic oxide matrix and an array of fluid conduits. The porous ceramic oxide matrix includes a labyrinth of reinforcing walls interconnected to one another. Each of the fluid conduits is formed from the porous ceramic oxide matrix and has an external surface with a plurality of struts projecting outwardly therefrom and an internal surface defining a first passage for flowing a first fluid therethrough. The struts are configured to connect the fluid conduits to one another and the external surfaces and the struts define a second passage around the fluid conduits for flowing a second fluid therethrough.

Method for making electrode assembly for a solid oxide fuel cell

Electrode assembly for a solid oxide fuel cell and method for making the same

Metastable ceramic fuel cell and method of making the same

A method of making a superfine alloy comprises: incorporating a grain growth inhibitor polymeric precursor into a composition for synthesis of a superfine material; synthesizing the superfine material from the composition comprising the incorporated precursor; incorporating an alloy additive into the composition for synthesis of the superfine material before synthesizing the superfine material, or alternatively, into the as-synthesized superfine material to produce a superfine alloy-grain growth inhibitor polymeric precursor composite; and treating the superfine alloy-grain growth inhibitor polymeric precursor composite to convert the grain growth inhibitor polymeric precursor to a grain growth inhibitor.

Methods of making superfine alloys

A superfine material made by incorporation of an inorganic polymer precursor of a grain growth inhibitor into intermediates useful for the production of superfine materials. The precursor/nanostructured material composite is optionally heat treated at a temperature below the grain growth temperature of the superfine material in order to more effectively disperse the precursor. The composites are then heat treated at a temperature effective to decompose the precursor and to form superfine materials having grain growth inhibitors uniformly distributed at the grain boundaries. Synthesis of the inorganic polymer solution comprises forming an inorganic polymer from a solution of metal salts, filtering the polymer, and drying. Alloying additives as well as grain growth inhibitors may be incorporated into the superfine materials.

Grain growth inhibitor for superfine materials

A method for the synthesis of an electrode, and the resulting article therefrom, comprising coating an active material feedstock with an additive material suitable for preventing thermal decomposition of said feedstock during thermal spray, thermal spraying the coated feedstock onto a substrate for an electrode, thereby forming a coating on the substrate, thereby providing an electrode.

Thermal sprayed electrodes

This invention relates to methods whereby nanoparticle liquid suspensions are used in conventional thermal spray deposition for the fabrication of high-quality nanostructured coatings. Ultrasound is used for disintegration of the as-synthesized particle agglomerates, nanoparticle dispersion in liquid media, and liquid precursor atomization.

Nanostructured feeds for thermal spray systems, method of manufacture, and coatings formed therefrom

A chemical synthetic route for nanostructured materials that is scalable to large volume production, comprising spray atomization of a reactant solution into a precursor solution to form a nanostructured oxide or hydroxide precipitate. The precipitate is then heat-treated followed by sonication, or sonicated followed by heat treatment. This route yields nanostructured doped and undoped nickel hydroxide, manganese dioxide, and ytrria-stabilized zirconia. Unusual morphological superstructures may be obtained, including well-defined cylinders or nanorods, as well as a novel structure in nickel hydroxide and manganese dioxide, comprising assemblies of nanostructured fibers, assemblies of nanostructured fibers and agglomerates of nanostructured particles, and assemblies of nanostructured fibers and nanostructured particles. These novel structures have high percolation rates and high densities of active sites, rendering them particularly suitable for catalytic applications.

Methods of synthesis for nanostructured oxides and hydroxides

Thin films or coatings having a thickness of about 100 nanometers or larger are made of nanostructured particles which have a particle size less than 100 nm (i.e. 0.1 micron) by thermally spraying a solution of a liquid coating precursor feedstock onto a substrate to form the film or coating. By thermal spraying with different precursor feedstock solutions, coatings can be made with more than one layer. Also, by varying the composition of the precursor feedstock during spraying, a fine composition gradient coating can be formed which is made up of the same small nanoparticle size particles of less than, 100 nm. Many combinations of materials can be co-deposited and by applying an external energy source either during the coating process or during post deposition, the resulting coating can be modified.

Nanosize particle coatings made by thermally spraying solution precursor feedstocks

A method comprising incorporation of an inorganic polymer precursor of a grain growth inhibitor into nanostructured materials or intermediates useful for the production of nanostructured materials. The precursor/nanostructured material composite is optionally heat treated at a temperature below the grain growth temperature of the nanostructured material in order to more effectively disperse the precursor. The composites are then heat treated at a temperature effective to decompose the precursor and to form nanostructured materials having grain growth inhibitors uniformly distributed at the grain boundaries. Synthesis of the inorganic polymer solution comprises forming an inorganic polymer from a solution of metal salts, filtering the polymer, and drying. Alloying additives as well as grain growth inhibitors may be incorporated into the nanostructured materials.

Grain growth inhibitor for nanostructured materials

A method comprising incorporation of an inorganic polymer precursor of a grain growth inhibitor into superfine materials or intermediates useful for the production of superfine materials. The precursor/nanostructured material composite is optionally heat treated at a temperature below the grain growth temperature of the superfine material in order to more effectively disperse the precursor. The composites are then heat treated at a temperature effective to decompose the precursor and to form superfine materials having grain growth inhibitors uniformly distributed at the grain boundaries. Synthesis of the inorganic polymer solution comprises forming an inorganic polymer from a solution of metal salts, filtering the polymer, and drying. Alloying additives as well as grain growth inhibitors may be incorporated into the superfine materials.

This invention relates to methods whereby nanoparticle precursor solutions are used in conventional thermal spray deposition for the fabrication of high-quality nanostructured coatings. The method allows combining nanoparticle synthesis, melting, and quenching into a single operation.

Growing community of inventors

Storrs, CT, United States of America

Peter R Strutt