Triad National Security, LLC

Los Alamos National Security, LLC

University of California

Rangachary Mukundan

Eric L Brosha

Fernando H Garzon

Siddharth Komini Babu

Mahlon Scott Wilson

Christopher J Romero

Jacob Schatz Spendelow

Rodney Lynn Borup

Cortney R Kreller

Natalia Macauley

Stephen Grot

Melinda Lou Einsla

Tommy Rockward

Rodney L Borup

Cortney Kreller

Kannan Ramaiyan

A multi-electrode sensor array includes a substrate and n test couples on the substrate, wherein n is an integer of 2 or greater. Each test couple includes a pseudo-reference electrode and a sensing electrode including a material capable of oxidizing or reducing a gas of interest. A solid electrolyte layer that is common to and continuous over the n test couples may cover at least a portion of each pseudo-reference electrode and at least a portion of each sensing electrode. At least one of the n test couples may include an initial test couple and one or more duplicates thereof connected in electrical series, and a mixed potential may be measured across the electrical series. When multiple electrodes having different electrocatalytic activities are combined in the array of n test couples, mixed potential data from the array may be mathematically processed to accurately measure gas concentrations in a mixed-gas environment. The electrodes may be designed and arranged to increase the selectivity and sensitivity of the multi-electrode sensor array.

Solid state multi-electrode sensor array for real-time monitoring of multi-gas mixtures

Ionomer membranes for fuel cells and related devices are described. An ionomer membrane may be configured with a plurality of anode-side protrusions and/or a plurality of cathode-side protrusions. A filler material(s) may be deposited into voids of an ionomer membrane. Example filler materials include, but are not limited to, platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), gold (Au), silver (Ag), iridium (Ir), etc., and their alloys on carbon supports.

Ionomer membranes for fuel cells and related devices

A fuel contamination detection system includes a fuel quality analyzer, a multiway valve, and a controller. The multiway valve includes a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet. The multiway valve also may include a switching device. The controller is electrically coupled to the analyzer. The controller may be coupled to the switching device, if present. Fuel is flowed through the fuel quality analyzer and an output current is measured to determine whether the fuel includes impurities. The controller is operable to signal a fuel dispensing system to dispense fuel if the fuel is sufficiently clean or cease dispensing fuel if the fuel is impure.

System and method for detection of impurities during refueling

A polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the first electrode includes a coaxial nanowire electrode. In some embodiments, the coaxial nanowire electrode comprises a plurality of ionomer nanowires, and a catalyst coating that coats at least part of the ionomer nanowires. Moreover, in some embodiments, a nanowire of the plurality of ionomer nanowires and a section of the catalyst coating that coats the nanowire form two coaxial cylinders.

Coaxial nanowire electrode

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a patterned electrode comprising regions of catalyst and segregating regions that separate the regions of catalyst. The segregating regions may be regions of non-catalytic material. The catalyst regions may correspond to the channels of a flow field. The electrode provides improved fuel cell performance, particularly at high current densities. The electrode may be for all suitable applications, such as in a membrane electrode assembly and/or a fuel cell. Also disclosed is a method for making the patterned electrode. The method may comprise using masks to apply the catalyst and non-catalyst material to a substrate.

Patterned electrode catalyst

A fuel quality analyzer for detecting contaminants in a fuel supply includes an anode flow field plate defining a first fuel flow field channel and a fuel inlet port, a cathode flow field plate defining a second fuel flow field channel and a fuel outlet port, a polymer electrolyte membrane between the anode and cathode flow field plates, a first electrode between the anode flow field plate and the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a second electrode between the cathode flow field plate and the polymer electrolyte membrane. The second electrode has a higher platinum loading than the first electrode. A reservoir volume is defined by the anode and cathode flow field plates. At least a portion of the polymer electrolyte membrane extends into the reservoir volume. The reservoir volume is configured to retain water to humidify the polymer electrolyte membrane.

Hydrogen fuel quality analyzer with self-humidifying electrochemical cell and methods of testing fuel quality

A method of producing a proton conducting material, comprising adding a pyrophosphate salt to a solvent to produce a dissolved pyrophosphate salt; adding an inorganic acid salt to a solvent to produce a dissolved inorganic acid salt; adding the dissolved inorganic acid salt to the dissolved pyrophosphate salt to produce a mixture; substantially evaporating the solvent from the mixture to produce a precipitate; and calcining the precipitate at a temperature of from about 400&#xb0; C. to about 1200&#xb0; C.

Method of synthesis of proton conducting materials

A method of making electrochemical sensors in which an electrolyte material is cast into a tape. Prefabricated electrodes are then partially embedded between two wet layers of the electrolyte tape to form a green sensor, and the green sensor is then heated to sinter the electrolyte tape around the electrodes. The resulting sensors can be used in applications such as, but not limited to, combustion control, environmental monitoring, and explosive detection. A electrochemical sensor formed by the tape-casting method is also disclosed.

Tape-cast sensors and method of making

A mixed potential sensor for oxidizable or reducible gases and a method of making. A substrate is provided and two electrodes are formed on a first surface of the substrate, each electrode being formed of a different catalytic material selected to produce a differential voltage between the electrodes from electrochemical reactions of the gases catalyzed by the electrode materials. An electrolytic layer of an electrolyte is formed over the electrodes to cover a first portion of the electrodes from direct exposure to the gases with a second portion of the electrodes uncovered for direct exposure to the gases.

Thin film mixed potential sensors

A mixed potential electrochemical sensor for the detection of gases has a ceria-based electrolyte with a surface for exposing to the gases to be detected, and with a reference wire electrode and a sensing wire electrode extending through the surface and fixed within the electrolyte as the electrolyte is compressed and sintered. The electrochemical sensor is formed by placing a wire reference electrode and a wire sensing electrode in a die, where each electrode has a first compressed planar section and a second section depending from the first section with the second section of each electrode extending axially within the die. The die is filled with an oxide-electrolyte powder and the powder is pressed within the die with the wire electrodes. The wire-electrodes and the pressed oxide-electrolyte powder are sintered to form a ceramic electrolyte base with a reference wire electrode and a sensing wire electrode depending therefrom.

Electrodes for solid state gas sensor

A hydrocarbon sensor is formed with an electrolyte body having a first electrolyte surface with a reference electrode depending therefrom and a metal oxide electrode body contained within the electrolyte body and having a first electrode surface coplanar with the first electrolyte surface. The sensor was formed by forming a sintered metal-oxide electrode body and placing the metal-oxide electrode body within an electrolyte powder. The electrolyte powder with the metal-oxide electrode body was pressed to form a pressed electrolyte body containing the metal-oxide electrode body. The electrolyte was removed from an electrolyte surface above the metal-oxide electrode body to expose a metal-oxide electrode surface that is coplanar with the electrolyte surface. The electrolyte body and the metal-oxide electrode body were then sintered to form the hydrocarbon sensor.

Growing community of inventors

Los Alamos, NM, United States of America

Rangachary Mukundan