Ovonic Battery Company, Inc.

Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.

Texaco Ovonic Fuel Cell LLC

Thomas J Hopper

Srinivasan Venkatesan

Stanford R Ovshinsky

Kevin Fok

Boyko Aladjov

Subhash K Dhar

Boyko Alajov

Rosa T Young

Zdravko Menjak

James L Strebe

Ana Menjak

Stanford R Ovhsinsky

Lynn Taylor

Fuel cell oxygen electrode and instant startup fuel cells employing such oxygen electrode. The oxygen electrode operates through the mechanism of redox couples which uniquely provide multiple degrees of freedom in selecting the operating voltages available for such fuel cells. Such oxygen electrodes provide the fuel cells in which they are used a 'buffer' or 'charge' of oxidizer available within the oxygen electrode at all times.

Fuel cell cathode with redox couple

A fuel cell utilizing parallel flow of a hydrogen stream, an oxygen stream, and an electrolyte solution with respect to the electrodes, while maintaining mechanical support within the fuel cell. The fuel cell utilizes encapsulated electrodes to maintain a high air flow rate and low pressure throughout the fuel cell. The fuel cell is also designed to maintain mechanical support within the fuel cell while the electrodes expand and contract in response to the absorption of oxygen and hydrogen. Gas is predistributed by the compression plates and electrode plates to supply the electrodes with high concentrations of oxygen from air.

Fuel cell with encapsulated electrodes

An active electrode composition comprising an active electrode material and a binder where the binder comprises a monosaccharide, a disaccharide, a pectin or a molasses. Preferably, the active electrode material is nickel hydroxide.

Nickel hydroxide paste with molasses binder

Fuel cell oxygen electrode and instant startup fuel cells employing such oxygen electrode. The oxygen electrode operates through the mechanism of redox couples which uniquely provide multiple degrees of freedom in selecting the operating voltages available for such fuel cells. Such oxygen electrodes provide the fuel cells in which they are used a &ldquo;buffer&rdquo; or &ldquo;charge&rdquo; of oxidizer available within the oxygen electrode at all times.

Fuel cell cathode utilizing multiple redox couples

A hydrogen storage alloy active material for the anode of Ovonic instant startup/regenerative fuel cells. The active material includes a hydrogen storage alloy material with a water reactive chemical hydride additive, which, upon utilization of the active material in an anode of an alkaline electrolyte fuel cell, gives the anode added benefits, not attainable by using hydrogen storage alloy material alone. These added benefits include 1) precharge of the hydrogen storage material with hydrogen; 2) higher porosity/increased surface area/reduced electrode polarization at high currents; 3) simplified, faster activation of the hydrogen storage alloy; and 4) optionally, enhanced corrosion protection for the hydrogen storage alloy.

Active material for fuel cell anodes incorporating an additive for precharging/activation thereof

A method of activating a hydrogen storage alloy electrode. The method comprises the step of applying current cycles to the electrode where each current cycle includes a forward pulse effective to at least partially charge the electrode and a reverse pulse effective to at least partially discharge the electrode.

Method of activating hydrogen storage alloy electrode

A method of activating a metal hydride electrode of an alkaline fuel cell. The method comprises the step of applying current cycles to the anode where each current cycle includes a forward current effective to at least partially charge the electrode and a reverse current effective to at least partially discharge the electrode.

Method of fuel cell activation

A layered hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode for an alkaline electrochemical cell. The layered electrode comprises a outer layer comprising a metal oxide, metal sulfide or mixtures thereof. The outer layer reduces the internal pressure of electrochemical cell.

Layered metal hydride electrode providing reduced cell pressure

An alkaline electrochemical cell having a hydrogen absorbing alloy negative electrode. The electrochemical cell comprises an alkaline electrolyte comprising an additive material which reduces cell pressure by decreasing hydrogen gas evolution.

Electrochemical cell having reduced cell pressure

A fuel cell which has the ability to start up instantly and can accept recaptured energy such as that of regenerative braking by operating in reverse as an electrolyzer. The instant startup fuel cells have increased efficiency and power availability (higher voltage and current) and a dramatic improvement in operating temperature range of about &minus;20 to 150&deg; C.

Alkaline fuel cell

An active composition for the electrode of an alkaline electrochemical cell. The active composition comprises an active electrode material and an additive material selected from the group consisting of a Raney alloy, and a Raney catalyst. The active composition may be used to form metal hydride electrodes.

Growing community of inventors

Troy, MI, United States of America

Thomas J Hopper