Ballard Power Systems Corporation

Bdf IP Holdings Ltd.

Timothy J Peckham

Charles Stone

Donald J Burton

Sean M MacKinnon

Anilkumar Raghavanpillai

A water insoluble additive for improving the performance of an ion-exchange membrane, such as in the context of the high temperature operation of electrochemical fuel cells. The insoluble additive comprises a metal oxide cross-linked matrix having acid groups covalently attached to the matrix through linkers. In one embodiment, the metal is silicon and the cross-linked matrix is a siloxane cross-linked matrix containing silicon atoms cross-linked by multiple disiloxy bonds and having  acid groups covalently attached to the silicon atoms through alkanediyl linkers.

Water insoluble additive for improving conductivity of an ion exchange membrane

&agr;,&bgr;,&bgr;-Trifluorostyrene and derivatives thereof synthesized in two steps from 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethylene. In the first step, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethylene is reacted with a base, a metal salt such as zinc chloride and an optionally amine to form a trifluorovinyl metal complex. In the second step, the trifluorostyrene or derivative is obtained by reacting the trifluorovinyl metal complex with an aryl transfer agent such as, for example, an aryl triflate or an aryl halide, in the presence of a metal catalyst and optionally a coordinating ligand. Both steps may be carried out in one reactor.

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Richmond, CA, United States of America

Timothy J Peckham