Title: Ionic liquids and ionic liquid acids with high temperature stability for fuel cell and other high temperature applications, method of making and cell employing same

Abstract

Disclosed are developments in high temperature fuel cells including ionic liquids with high temperature stability and the storage of inorganic acids as di-anion salts of low volatility. The formation of ionically conducting liquids of this type having conductivities of unprecedented magnitude for non-aqueous systems is described. The stability of the di-anion configuration is shown to play a role in the high performance of the non-corrosive proton-transfer ionic liquids as high temperature fuel cell electrolytes. Performance of simple H.sub.2(g) electrolyte/O.sub.2(g) fuel cells with the new electrolytes is described. Superior performance both at ambient temperature and temperatures up to and above 200.degree. C. are achieved. Both neutral proton transfer salts and the acid salts with HSO.sup.-.sub.4 anions, give good results, the bisulphate case being particularly good at low temperatures and very high temperatures. The performance of all electrolytes is improved by the addition of a small amount of involatile base of pK.sub.a value intermediate between those of the acid and base that make the bulk electrolyte. The preferred case is the imidazole-doped ethylammonium hydrogensulfate which yields behavior superior in all respects to that of the industry standard phosphoric acid electrolyte.

Inventors:

Angell, C Austen ^[1]; Xu, Wu ^[2]; Belieres, Jean-Philippe ^[3]; Yoshizawa, Masahiro ^[4]

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+ Show Inventor Affiliations

1. Mesa, AZ
2. Broadview Heights, OH
3. Chandler, AZ
4. Tokyo, JP

Issue Date:

Tue Jan 11 00:00:00 EST 2011

Research Org.:

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1013669

Patent Number(s):

7867658

Application Number:

10/555,468

Assignee:

Arizona Board of Regents for and on behalf of Arizona State University (Scottsdale, AZ)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

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H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

H01M2300/0005 - Acid electrolytes
H01M2300/0022 - Room temperature molten salts
H01M2300/0048 - Molten electrolytes used at high temperature
H01M2300/0054 - Halogenides
H01M2300/0062 - Nitrates
H01M2300/0085 - Immobilising or gelification of electrolyte
H01M2300/0091 - in the form of mixtures
H01M8/1016 - characterised by the electrolyte material
H01M8/14 - Fuel cells with fused electrolytes
H01M8/144 - {characterised by the electrolyte material}

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E60/50 - Fuel cells

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02P - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

Y02P70/50 - Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

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DOE Contract Number:  

W-7405-ENG-36

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY