University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated

Ryan Michael Walczak

John Robert Reynolds

Andrew Gabriel Rinzler

Pooja Wadhwa

Svetlana V Vasilyeva

Andrew M Spring

Rajib Kumar Das

John Sigure Cowart, Ii

John Sigure Ii Cowart

An embodiment of the invention is an air cathode having a porous membrane with at least one hydrophobic surface that contacts a conductive catalytic film that comprises single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) where the nanotubes are in intimate electrical contact. The conductive film can include fullerenes, metals, metal alloys, metal oxides, or electroactive polymers in addition to the SWNTs. In other embodiments of the invention the air cathode is a component of a metal-air battery or a fuel cell.

Single wall carbon nanotube based air cathodes

A degradable polymeric nanotube (NT) dispersant comprises a multiplicity of NT associative groups that are connected to a polymer backbone by a linking group where there are cleavable groups within the polymer backbone and/or the linking groups such that on a directed change of conditions, bond breaking of the cleavable groups results in residues from the degradable polymeric NT dispersant in a manner where the associative groups are uncoupled from other associative groups, rendering the associative groups monomelic in nature. The degradable polymeric nanotube (NT) dispersant can be combined with carbon NTs to form a NT dispersion that can be deposited to form a NT film, or other structure, by air brushing, electrostatic spraying, ultrasonic spraying, ink-jet printing, roll-to-roll coating, or dip coating. The deposition can render a NT film that is of a uniform thickness or is patterned with various thicknesses. Upon deposition of the film, the degradable polymeric nanotube (NT) dispersant can be cleaved and the cleavage residues removed from the film to yield a film where contact between NTs is unencumbered by dispersants, resulting in highly conductive NT films.

Nanotube dispersants and dispersant free nanotube films therefrom

A composition of matter comprises a polymer with a fully conjugated backbone or a conjugated block with a plurality of binding groups connected to the backbone by a linking moiety. The binding groups permit a non-covalent binding to a graphitic surface such as a carbon nanotube. A composition of matter where an electroactive polymer with binding groups connected to a conjugated backbone through a linking moiety is bound to carbon nanotubes. Such compositions can be used for a variety of applications using electroactive materials.

Electroactive polymers containing pendant pi-interacting/binding substituents, their carbon nanotube composites, and processes to form the same

A family of N-substituted 3,4-alkylenedioxypyrrole includes monomers for of formula (I) electropolymerization to conjugated polymers and key intermediates for the preparation of the monomers. The preparation of the //-substituted 3,4-alkylenedioxypyrroles is carried out via a synthetic intermediate, an ester substituted dihydroxypyrrole. The synthetic method to prepare the //-substituted 3,4-alkylenedioxypyrrole intermediates and ultimately the N-substituted 3,4-alkylenedioxypyrrole monomers begins with a reaction to form the ester substituted dihydroxypyrrole. 

N-substituted 3,4-alkylenedioxypyrroles, ester substituted dihydroxypyrroles and methods for synthesis of these pyrroles

A method to prepare halogen end-capped polypyrroles, polyfurans or copolymeric pyrroles and furans is presented that readily occurs in a liquid state as well as a solid state without the need of a catalyst from a dihalopyrrole monomer, dihalofuran monomer, or a mixture of monomers. The polymerization mixture can be modified to include a monohalo-monomer for the introduction of a specific end-group or a polyhalo-monomer to form a branched polymer or network. An initiating species can be included in the polymerization mixture to avoid an induction period or to commence the polymerization process on demand. The electroactive polymers can be formed as a bulk material, a coating, or as a film.

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Blacksburg, VA, United States of America

Ryan Michael Walczak