Ovonic Battery Company, Inc.

Texaco Ovonic Battery Systems, LLC

Tim Hicks

Michael A Fetcenko

Cristian Fierro

Avram Zallen

Stanford R Ovshinsky

Benjamin Reichman

William C Mays

James L Strebe

Gabriel E Benet

A method for converting nickel into a nickel salt solution. Nickel is dissolved and reacted in an oxygen-enriched acidic solution to produce a nickel salt solution as illustrated in the following chemical equation, wherein X is a conjugate base:Ni+HX+&#xbd;O-&#x3e;NiX+HO.

Method of producing a nickel salt solution

A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a process for making nickel sulfate by converting nickel metal into nickel sulfate, which may be converted to nickel hydroxide. Nickel metal is dissolved in sulfuric acid and oxygen containing gas is introduced to produce a nickel sulfate solution having nickel sulfate and water as illustrated in the following chemical equation.Ni+HSO+&#xbd;O&#x2192;NiSO+HOThe nickel sulfate is filtered and sulfuric acid is continually added to maintain stoichiometry within a reactor until the nickel metal is dissolved. The sulfuric acid, oxygen containing gas and nickel metal may be heated to facilitate the desired reaction. Then, the nickel sulfate may be utilized to produce nickel hydroxide.

Process for converting nickel to nickel sulfate

A catalyst having catalytically active material supported on a carrier matrix. The catalytically active material may be a mixed-valence, nanoclustered oxide(s), an organometallic material or a combination thereof. The supported catalytic material is particularly useful for catalyzing oxygen reduction in a fuel cell, such as an alkaline fuel cell.

Catalyst for fuel cell oxygen electrodes

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Redford, MI, United States of America

Tim Hicks