Nissan North America, Inc.

Rameshwar Yadav

Gregory DiLeo

Taehee Han

Kenzo Oshihara

Ellazar Niangar

Peter Aurora

Xiaoguang Hao

Nagappan Ramaswamy

Kevork Adjemian

Multi-acid polymers are produced having the formula R&#x2014;SO&#x2014;NH&#x2014;R'&#x2014;(SOH)and made from a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride form or sulfonyl chloride form The R is one or more units of the polymer precursor without sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride, R&#x2032; is the portion of the amino sulfonic acid without the SOH and NH, n is one or more, and the multi-acid polymer has two or more proton conducting groups. A method of making the multi-acid polymers includes reacting an amino acid having multiple sulfonic acids with a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride form or sulfonyl chloride form in a mild base condition to produce the multi-acid polymer having two or more proton conducting groups.

Multi-acid polymers from multifunctional amino phosphonic acids and sulfonyl halide precursors and methods of making the same

A membrane electrode assembly is provided that includes a polymer electrolyte membrane and a catalyst layer provided on a surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane. The catalyst layer comprises catalyst particles and an ionomer film surrounding each of the catalyst particles. The ionomer film has an oxygen permeability of approximately 6.0&#xd7;10mol/cm/s to 15.0&#xd7;10mol/cm/s at 80&#xb0; C. and a relative humidity of approximately 30% to 100%.

Stretched catalyst layer having porous ionomer film and method of producing same

An electrode for an electrochemical device has a current collector, an electrolyte layer, and an active material layer between the current collector and the electrolyte layer comprising active material. The active material layer has a first sub-layer in contact with the electrolyte layer, the first sub-layer having only an electronically conductive polymer binder as a binder material; a second sub-layer in contact with the current collector, the second sub-layer having only an ionically conductive polymer binder as the binder material; and a mid-layer between the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer.

Ionic and electronic conductive binder in thick electrodes

Multi-acid polymers are produced having the formula R&#x2014;SO&#x2014;NH&#x2014;(SOH)or R&#x2014;SO&#x2014;NH&#x2014;(POH)and made from a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride form or sulfonyl chloride form The R is one or more units of the polymer precursor without sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride, n is one or more, and the multi-acid polymer has two or more proton conducting groups. A method of making the multi-acid polymers includes reacting an amino acid having multiple sulfonic acids or phosphonic acids with a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride form or sulfonyl chloride form in a mild base condition to produce the multi-acid polymer having two or more proton conducting groups.

Multi-acid polymers from multifunctional amino acids and sulfonyl halide precursors and methods of making the same

An ion conducting and electron conducting polymer is comprised of a first polymer of a single-sulfonic acid polymer or a multi-sulfonic acid polymer and a second polymer of an EDOT analog monomer having the following formula: wherein z=O or S; Y=&#x2014;COH, &#x2014;CH, or &#x2014;COOH; a=0 or 1; Y=&#x2014;CH, &#x2014;CH, &#x2014;CHCH, &#x2014;CH, &#x2014;CH, &#x2014;CHOCH, or &#x2014;CHOCH; and b=0 or 1; wherein a sulfonic acid group of each branch of the first polymer electronically interacts with one or more thiophene rings of the second polymer; and wherein any remaining sulfonic acid groups on each branch of the first polymer are converted to SOLi.

Ionic and electronic conducting binder for electrochemical devices

An oxygen permeable polymer has the following formula: wherein Ris a non-sulfonyl halide portion of a sulfonyl halide monomer or polymer; Xis &#x2014;NH or &#x2014;NHCO; A is an optionally substituted alkyl; L is 0, 1 or 2; m is 2 or 3; Z is H or CH; and n is 5-m. The polymer can be used in air separation devices, air concentrators, and in electrodes for electrochemical devices.

Oxygen permeable polymers, ionomers and methods of making the same

A membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell has a segmented membrane including a porous support having a surface area, the surface area divided into a first portion and a second portion. An alkaline segment is formed from the first portion of the porous support imbibed with an alkaline ionomer. An acid segment is formed from the second portion of the porous support imbibed with an acid ionomer. The alkaline segment is sized to provide a humidification amount to a feed gas passing through the acid segment.

Segmented cation-anion exchange membrane for self-humidification of fuel cells and method of making

Multi-acid polymers for use as a fuel cell membrane, for example, have multi-acid monomers that have an imide base and more than two proton conducting groups. The multi-acid polymers are made by reacting a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride form with a compound with an acid giving group. One example of a multi-acid polymer is: wherein R is one or more units of a non-SOF or non-SOCl portion of a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride form.

Multi-acid polymers and methods of making the same

Provided are methods and apparatus for charging a lithium sulfur (Li&#x2014;S) battery. The Li&#x2014;S battery has at least one unit cell comprising a lithium-containing anode and a sulfur-containing cathode with an electrolyte layer there between. One method provides controlled application of voltage pulses at the beginning of the charging process. An application period is initiated after a discharge cycle of the Li&#x2014;S battery is complete. During the application period, voltage pulses are provided to the Li&#x2014;S battery. The voltage pulses are less than a constant current charging voltage. Constant current charging is initiated after the application period has elapsed.

Lithium sulfur battery pulse charging method and pulse waveform

A multi-acid monomer disclosed herein has the formula wherein R is one or more units of a non-SOF or non-SOCl portion of a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride form, X is a non-sulfonyl halide group of a multi-sulfonyl halide compound having a minimum of two acid giving groups, and Y is remaining sulfonyl halide groups of the multi-sulfonyl halide compound.

A method of making a multi-acid polymer comprising: reacting a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride form with anhydrous ammonia to obtain a sulfonamide, wherein the polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride form has a formula R&#x2014;SOF or R&#x2014;SOCl, respectively, with R being one of more units of the polymer precursor without sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride, and wherein the sulfonamide has a formula R&#x2014;SO&#x2014;NH; and reacting the sulfonamide with a compound of a formula COOH&#x2014;X-AGG under a mild base condition, wherein X is one of CHor N(CH)and AGG is an acid giving group, to form the multi-acid polymer having an imide base and more than two proton conducting groups.

Bifunctional styrenated crosslinkable monomers are produced by functionalizing a linear chain diol with styrene, the linear chain diol being a diol with linear chain fluorinated segments or a linear chain hydrocarbon diol. Crosslinked polymers are produced by polymerizing the styrene-based comonomer with the bifunctional styrenated crosslinkable monomers. Polymer electrolyte membranes are produced from the crosslinked polymers. Crosslinking a bifunctional fluorinated monomer with a sulfonic acid bearing comonomer produces crosslinked polymers and membranes there from with very high acid content and strong polymer structure.

Cross-linked polymer electrolyte membranes and crosslinking monomer

Methods and apparatus are provided for discharging a Li&#x2014;S battery having at least one battery unit comprising a lithium-containing anode and a sulfur-containing cathode with an electrolyte layer there between. One method comprises electrochemically surface treating the sulfur-containing cathode during discharge of the battery. A method of electrochemically surface treating a cathode of a lithium-sulfide battery comprises applying at least one oxidative voltage pulse during a pulse application period while the lithium-sulfur battery discharges and controlling pulse characteristics during the pulse application period, the pulse characteristics configured to affect a morphology of lithium sulfide forming on the sulfur-containing cathode during discharge.

Lithium sulfur battery cathode electrode surface treatment during discharge

Crosslinked polymers are produced by polymerizing a styrene-based comonomer with a bifunctional styrenated crosslinkable monomer comprising the following straight chain formula: CH&#x2550;CH&#x2014;CH&#x2014;CH&#x2014;(OCHCH)&#x2014;O&#x2014;CH&#x2014;CH&#x2014;CH&#x2550;CH. The styrenated crosslinkable monomer can be produced from a two arm polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight between 200 g/mol and 35,000 g/mol. The styrenated crosslinkable monomer can also be produced from a two arm polyethylene oxide having a molecular weight between 100 kg/mol and 800 kg/mol. The styrenated crosslinkable monomer can also be produced from a four arm polyethylene glycol. Polymer electrolyte membranes are produced from the crosslinked polymers.

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Novi, MI, United States of America

Rameshwar Yadav