Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7670713 | Fuel cell electrode and membrane-electrode assembly and fuel cell system A fuel cell electrode includes a catalyst layer and an electrode substrate supporting the catalyst layer and including a conductive substrate. The catalyst layer includes a first catalyst supported on a carbon supporter and a second catalyst supported on an inorgani... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7655346 | Electrode material and fuel cell A fuel cell electrode material comprising a cermet which comprises metal particles consisting of cobalt and nickel and electrolyte particles consisting of solid oxides, wherein the metal particles comprise 20 to 90 mol % cobalt and the residue of nickel in terms of ... | 02/02/2010 |
| 7632601 | Palladium-cobalt particles as oxygen-reduction electrocatalysts The present invention relates to palladium-cobalt particles useful as oxygen-reducing electrocatalysts. The invention also relates to oxygen-reducing cathodes and fuel cells containing these palladium-cobalt particles. The invention additionally relates to methods f... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7625661 | Diffusion media with continuous micro-porous layers incorporating non-uniformity A diffusion media and micro-porous media combination for a fuel cell. A diffusion layer is composed of a diffusion media and has a first (electrode) side and an opposite second (flowfield) side, wherein at least one of the first and second sides has a geometric patt... | 12/01/2009 |
| 7622217 | Fuel cell nanocatalyst A fuel cell cathode catalyst is provided comprising nanostructured elements comprising microstructured support whiskers bearing nanoscopic catalyst particles; wherein the catalyst comprises platinum and manganese and at least one other metal selected from the group ... | 11/24/2009 |
| 7611796 | Solid-oxide fuel cell with ferritic support Cell of a solid-oxide fuel cell that comprises a ferritic support (2), a first electrode (3) deposited on said ferritic support, an electrolyte (4) deposited on said first electrode (3), and a second electrode (5) deposited on said... | 11/03/2009 |
| 7595127 | Nano-composite electrodes and method of making the same A method of making ceramic electrode materials comprising intimate mixtures of two or more components, including at least one nanoscale ionically conducting ceramic electrolyte material (e.g., yttrium-stabilized zirconia, gadolinium-doped ceria, samarium-doped ceria... | 09/29/2009 |
| 7592093 | Method for manufacturing a flat panel direct methanol fuel cell A novel flat panel DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell) includes an integrated cathode electrode plate, a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) unit, an intermediate bonding layer, an integrated anode electrode plate, and a fuel container. The integrated cathode and anode e... | 09/22/2009 |
| 7588856 | Resistive-varying electrode structure An electrode structure for a low voltage, high current electrical production device includes a charge transfer member (612). An electrically conductive member (605) having a non-uniform resistance is disposed on the charge transfer member 612 fo... | 09/15/2009 |
| 7588857 | Chalcogen catalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cell A methanol-tolerant cathode catalyst and a membrane electrode assembly for fuel cells that includes such a cathode catalyst. The cathode catalyst includes a support having at least one transition metal in elemental form and a chalcogen disposed on the support. Metho... | 09/15/2009 |
| 7572543 | Supported catalyst and fuel cell A supported catalyst includes an oxide carrier, catalyst particles supported on the oxide carrier, and catalyst layers which locate among the catalyst particles, with interface portions among the oxide carrier, the catalyst particles and the catalyst layers. The cat... | 08/11/2009 |
| 7566514 | Catalyst for cathode in fuel cell A catalyst particle having high oxygen reduction reactivity and low methanol oxidation reactivity, a supported catalyst comprising the catalyst particle, and a fuel cell using a cathode comprising the supported catalyst are provided. The whole catalyst particle or a... | 07/28/2009 |
| 7553580 | Electrode substrate for a fuel cell, a method for preparing the same, and a membrane-electrode assembly comprising the same An electrode substrate for a fuel cell including a diffusion layer, a first microporous layer that embeds into the diffusion layer, with the first microporous layer having a thickness in the range of 10 to 30 μm, and a second microporous layer that forms a boundary... | 06/30/2009 |
| 7531267 | Process for preparing carbon nanotube electrode comprising sulfur or metal nanoparticles as a binder The present invention provides an electrode made of carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibers and a process for preparing the same. The electrode comprising a current collector, sulfur or metal nanoparicles as a binder, and carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibers is chara... | 05/12/2009 |
| 7521147 | Fuel cell comprising current collectors integrated in the electrode-membrane-electrode stack The invention relates to a fuel cell with a stack comprising an electrolytic membrane (4), with front and rear faces (4a, 4b) on which first and second current collectors (13, 15) are respectively arranged, each comprising a... | 04/21/2009 |
| 7517606 | Fuel cells and batteries including metal-carbon composite powders A fuel cell comprising a catalytic layer including substantially spherical metal-carbon catalyst particles having a weight average particle size of at least about 0.1 micron and not greater than about 20 micron, wherein the catalyst particles comprise a metal phase ... | 04/14/2009 |
| 7507495 | Hydrogen absorption induced metal deposition on palladium and palladium-alloy particles The present invention relates to methods for producing metal-coated palladium or palladium-alloy particles. The method includes contacting hydrogen-absorbed palladium or palladium-alloy particles with one or more metal salts to produce a sub-monoatomic or monoatomic... | 03/24/2009 |
| 7494741 | Fuel cell with a porous electron collection layer formed by stacking conductive material particles To provide a fuel cell which has a reaction layer having good reaction efficiency and an electron collection layer to efficiently collect electrons generated at the reaction layer and of which the output density is high and the characteristic is good and a method of... | 02/24/2009 |
| 7476461 | Methods for the electrochemical optimization of solid oxide fuel cell electrodes The present invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell which contains an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte, where at least one of the electrode contains a wash-coat composition that improves the performance of the solid oxide fuel cell. Also provided is a method ... | 01/13/2009 |
| 7442462 | Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell with tandem fuel tanks and inertial trigger A fuel cell apparatus includes tandem storage tanks containing activation devices that release the oxidant gas and fuel gas to the fuel cell membrane when needed. The membrane assemblies surround the storage tanks, overlapping one another in a configuration more sui... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7438987 | Carbon fuel particles used in direct carbon conversion fuel cells A system for preparing particulate carbon fuel and using the particulate carbon fuel in a fuel cell. Carbon particles are finely divided. The finely dividing carbon particles are introduced into the fuel cell. A gas containing oxygen is introduced into the fuel cell... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7435504 | Platinum, tungsten, and nickel or zirconium containing electrocatalysts The present teachings are directed toward electrocatalyst compositions of alloys of platinum, tungsten and one of either of nickel or zirconium for use in fuel cells. The alloys consists essentially of platinum present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 2... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7432008 | Gas diffusion layer for an electrochemical cell An electrochemical cell includes: a membrane electrode assembly: first and second reactant flow field plates for providing first and second reactant flow fields disposed on either side of the membrane electrode assembly. A first seal is disposed between the first re... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7432009 | Lamination apparatus and methods Components for the manufacture of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells are provided, as well as apparatus and automatable methods for their manufacture by rotary die cutting and by lamination of various layers to form membrane electrode assemblies. A method and a... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7432006 | Electrochemical probe for screening multiple-cell arrays Novel systems for combinatorially screening an array of electrochemical cells are disclosed. The screening aparatus may comprise a system of electrodes and electrolytes common to each of the members of an electrochemical cell array. An electrochemical probe is used ... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7425384 | Direct methanol feed fuel cell and system Improvements to non acid methanol fuel cells include new formulations for materials. The platinum and ruthenium are more exactly mixed together. Different materials are substituted for these materials. The backing material for the fuel cell electrode is specially tr... | 09/16/2008 |
| 7422814 | Fuel cell system A fuel cell unit includes a plurality of fuel cells. Each of the fuel cells includes a plurality of power generation units. The power generation units are electrically connected in series for outputting a desired level of voltage. The fuel cells are stacked in a dir... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7419741 | Fuel cell cathode catalyst A fuel cell cathode catalyst is provided which comprises nanostructured elements comprising microstructured support whiskers bearing nanoscopic catalyst particles. The nanoscopic catalyst particles are made by the alternating application of first and second layers, ... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7419740 | Membrane electrode unit for polymer electrolyte fuel cells and a process for the production thereof A membrane electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells consisting of a polymer electrolyte membrane, both faces of which are in contact with porous reaction layers and gas distributor layers. The reaction layers contain noble metal catalysts supported on c... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7419546 | Gas diffusion electrodes, membrane-electrode assemblies and method for the production thereof A method for forming a noble metal coating on a gas diffusion medium substantially free of ionomeric components comprising subjecting an electrically conductive web to a first ion beam having an energy not higher than 500 eV, then to a second beam having an energy o... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7419739 | Flexible bipolar plate The present invention provides for a construction for a bipolar plate for a fuel cell stack that enables the bipolar plate to be a more compliant member in the fuel cell stack. The bipolar plate can be configured to provide varying levels of compliance, as demanded ... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7419623 | Proton conducting mediums for electrochemical devices and electrochemical devices comprising the same An electrochemical device and a proton conducting medium for use in an electrochemical device having a proton conducting electrolyte comprising the formula: HaMbQ.nH2O where H is a proton, M is a cation, Q is the ... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7416809 | Catalyst materials for fuel cells An improved direct liquid-feed fuel cell having a solid membrane electrolyte for electrochemical reactions of an organic fuel. Improvements in interfacing of the catalyst layer and the membrane and activating catalyst materials are disclosed. ... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7416810 | Low contact resistance PEM fuel cell A PEM fuel cell having a current collector comprising a polymer composite and a diffusion media engaging said polymer composite. The polymer composite has a hyperconductive surface layer engaging the diffusion media to reduce the contact resistance therebetween. The... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7416802 | Electrode-supported solid state electrochemical cell A process for manufacturing a solid oxide fuel cell comprises, in one embodiment according to the invention: forming a plastic mass comprising a mixture of an electrolyte substance and an electrochemically active substance; extruding the plastic mass through a die t... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7413826 | Anode electrodes for direct oxidation fuel cells and systems operating with concentrated liquid fuel An anode electrode for use in a fuel cell comprises a stacked structure including, in sequence: a catalyst layer, a hydrophobic, microporous layer (“MPL”), a porous gas diffusion layer (“GDL”), and an anode plate with at least one recessed fuel supply-fuel/g... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7414004 | Gas diffusion layer, electrode and membrane electrode assembly for fuel cell, and production methods thereof The present invention provides a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell which has proper rigidity, is easy to handle and contributes to the improvement of the productivity of fuel cells. A method for producing a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell including a first ste... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7410719 | Porous carbon base material, method for preparation thereof, gas-diffusing material film-electrode jointed article, and fuel cell A porous carbon base material includes a sheet containing carbon short fibers dispersed randomly and a carbonized resin, in which the carbon short fibers are bound by the carbonized resin and the volume of pores having a pore diameter of 10 μm or less is 0.05 to 0.... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7410720 | Fuel cell and method for manufacturing the same An electrode sheet (489) is put in one side of a solid electrolyte membrane (114) at its cut portion. A base member (110) for an oxidant electrode side current collector electrode sheet (499) is placed at a location facing a base member (... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7410718 | Aerogel and xerogel composites for use as carbon anodes Disclosed herein are aerogel and xerogel composite materials suitable for use as anodes in fuel cells and batteries. Precursors to the aerogel and xerogel compounds are infused with inorganic polymeric materials or carbon particles and then gelled. The gels are then... | 08/12/2008 |