Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC

The United States of America as Represented by the Department of Energy

Medical University of South Carolina

U.S. Department of Energy

Westinghouse Savannah River Company

Washington Savannah River Company LLP

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC (Srns)

Ragaiy Zidan

Joseph A Teprovich, Jr

Rana Mohtadi

Aaron L Washington, Ii

Hector R Colon-Mercado

Matthew S Wellons

Scott D Greenway

Premkumar Sivasubramanian

George G Wicks

James A Ritter

Ashley Clinton Stowe

Leung Kit Heung

Kenji Nakamura

Steven M Serkiz

Armin D Ebner

Charles E Holland

Joshua R Gray

Christopher S McWhorter

Theodore Motyka

Jun Wang

Ming Au

Long V Dinh

Douglas A Knight

Christopher Fewox

Rana F Mohtadi

Disclosed are high enthalpy thermochemical energy storage materials that exhibit high thermal conductivity and stability at high temperature reaction conditions. Disclosed materials include hydride-based alloys that can undergo high temperature reversible hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactions without phase change of any metal or metalloid components of the alloy. The materials undergo a reversible exothermic hydrogenation reaction to form a metal hydride and a ternary alloy that includes a high thermal conductivity metal that, in its pure state, would exhibit a phase change at the hydrogenation reaction conditions.

High temperature thermochemical energy storage materials

Disclosed are thermal energy storage systems and methods that utilize metal carbonate eutectics that can undergo high temperature reversible reactions to form mixtures of metal oxides. The metal oxides undergo an exothermic reaction with carbon dioxide to form the molten metal carbonate eutectics, and the molten metal carbonate eutectics undergo an endothermic decarbonization reaction to form the metal oxides and carbon dioxide. By carrying out the reversible reactions at a temperature above the melting point of the carbonate eutectic, the systems provide high thermal conductivity and reversible stability for thermal energy storage.

Methods for forming alane are described. The method includes addition of toluene at a temperature above the crystallization temperature of alane to a lower temperature solution that includes alane adduct, ether, and toluene. Upon the addition, a crystallization mixture is formed that is at or near the crystallization temperature of alane. The alane of the mixture crystallizes over a period of time to form a high purity alane polymorph.

Formation of high quality alane

A LiBH&#x2014;Cnanocomposite that displays fast lithium ionic conduction in the solid state is provided. The material is a homogenous nanocomposite that contains both LiBHand a hydrogenated fullerene species. In the presence of C, the lithium ion mobility of LiBHis significantly enhanced in the as prepared state when compared to pure LiBH. After the material is annealed the lithium ion mobility is further enhanced. Constant current cycling demonstrated that the material is stable in the presence of metallic lithium electrodes. The material can serve as a solid state electrolyte in a solid-state lithium ion battery.

Solid state electrolyte composites based on complex hydrides and metal doped fullerenes/fulleranes for batteries and electrochemical applications

Thermal energy storage (TES) systems based on metal hydride pairs using new class of high efficiency materials are evaluated. The use of low temperature metal cost effective material such hydrides NaAlH4 and Na3AlH6 became possible. In order to obtain high efficiency at reasonable cost high temperature materials were altered by the addition of materials to form reversible alloys and hydrides. The compounds were cycled to determine stability of hydrogen capacity over extended number of cycling. A thermal energy storage system based on two metal hydride pairs such as CaAl/CaH2/Al:NaAlH, CaSi/CaH/Si:NaAlHand NaMgHF&#x2014;Si/Mg2Si&#x2014;NaF:NaAlHallows low cost and high efficiency performance.

High performance metal hydride based thermal energy storage systems for concentrating solar power

Superconductive fullerenes, methods for enhancing characteristics of superconductive fullerenes and devices incorporating the fullerenes are disclosed. Enhancements can include increase in the critical transition temperature at a constant magnetic field; the existence of a superconducting hysteresis over a changing magnetic field; a decrease in the stabilizing magnetic field required for the onset of superconductivity; and/or an increase in the stability of superconductivity over a large magnetic field. The enhancements can be brought about by transmitting electromagnetic radiation to the superconductive fullerene such that the electromagnetic radiation impinges on the fullerene with an energy that is greater than the band gap of the fullerene.

Enhanced superconductivity of fullerenes

Methods for forming alane are described. The method drives the alane producing chemical reaction by a mechanical energy source such as a ball mill and includes stabilization of the product with solvent. At least one of the reactants is insoluble in the solvent. Thus, the product is both stabilized and phase-separated from the reactant(s) immediately upon formation. The method can be used to form &#x3b1;-alane, for instance for use in hydrogen storage.

Mechanochemical solid/liquid reaction in formation of alane

A process of using an electrochemical cell to generate aluminum hydride (AlH) and other high capacity hydrides is provided. The electrolytic cell uses an electro-catalytic-additive within a polar non-salt containing solvent to solubilize an ionic hydride such as NaAlHor LiAlH. The resulting electrochemical process results in the formation of AlHadduct. AlHis obtained from the adduct by heating under vacuum. The AlHcan be recovered and used as a source of hydrogen for the automotive industry. The resulting spent aluminum can be regenerated into NaAlHor LiAlHas part of a closed loop process of AlHgeneration.

Enhancing electrochemical methods for producing and regenerating alane by using electrochemical catalytic additive

A novel hydrogen absorption material is provided comprising a mixture of a lithium hydride with a fullerene. The subsequent reaction product provides for a hydrogen storage material which reversibly stores and releases hydrogen at temperatures of about 270&#xb0; C.

High capacity hydrogen storage nanocomposite materials

The present invention is directed to a method of preparing a carbon quantum dot. The carbon quantum dot can be prepared from a carbon precursor, such as a fullerene, and a complex metal hydride. The present invention also discloses a carbon quantum dot made by reacting a carbon precursor with a complex metal hydride and a polymer containing a carbon quantum dot made by reacting a carbon precursor with a complex metal hydride.

Carbon quantum dots and a method of making the same

Methods for enhancing characteristics of superconductive fullerenes and devices incorporating the fullerenes are disclosed. Enhancements can include increase in the critical transition temperature at a constant magnetic field; the existence of a superconducting hysteresis over a changing magnetic field; a decrease in the stabilizing magnetic field required for the onset of superconductivity; and/or an increase in the stability of superconductivity over a large magnetic field. The enhancements can be brought about by transmitting electromagnetic radiation to the superconductive fullerene such that the electromagnetic radiation impinges on the fullerene with an energy that is greater than the band gap of the fullerene.

A battery and process of operating a battery system is provided using high hydrogen capacity complex hydrides in an organic non-aqueous solvent that allows the transport of hydride ions such as AlHand metal ions during respective discharging and charging steps.

High energy density battery based on complex hydrides

A system for the generation of hydrogen for use in portable power systems is set forth utilizing a two-step process that involves the thermal decomposition of AlH(10 wt % H) followed by the hydrolysis of the activated aluminum (Al*) byproduct to release additional H. Additionally, a process in which water is added directly without prior history to the AlH:PA composite is also disclosed.

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Aiken, SC, United States of America

Ragaiy Zidan