Gradient interface magnetic composites and methods therefor
First Claim
1. A separator arranged between a first region containing a transition metal particle and another particle and a second region, comprising:
- a first material having a first magnetism;
a second material having a second magnetism;
a plurality of boundaries providing a path between said first region and said second region, each of said plurality of boundaries having a magnetic gradient within said path, said path having an average width of approximately one nanometer to approximately several micrometers, wherein said transition metal particle has a first magnetic susceptibility and said another particle has a second magnetic susceptibility, wherein said first and said second magnetic susceptibilities are sufficiently different that said transition metal particle passes into said second region while most of said another particle remains in said first region.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Magnetic composites exhibit distinct flux properties due to gradient interfaces. The composites can be used to improve fuel cells and batteries and effect transport and separation of different species of materials, for example, transition metal species such as lanthanides and actinides. A variety of devices can be made utilizing the composites including a separator, an electrode for channeling flux of magnetic species, an electrode for effecting electrolysis of magnetic species, a system for channeling electrolyte species, a system for separating particles with different magnetic susceptibilities, improved fuel cells, batteries, and oxygen concentrators. Some composites can be used to make a separator for distinguishing between two species of materials and a flux switch to regulate the flow of a chemical species. Some composites can control chemical species transport and distribution. Other composites enable ambient pressure fuel cells having enhanced performance and reduced weight to be produced. Still other composites enable rechargeable batteries to be made that have longer secondary cycle life and improved output power. Methods involving these composites provide distinct ways for these composites to be utilized.
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Citations
111 Claims
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1. A separator arranged between a first region containing a transition metal particle and another particle and a second region, comprising:
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a first material having a first magnetism;
a second material having a second magnetism;
a plurality of boundaries providing a path between said first region and said second region, each of said plurality of boundaries having a magnetic gradient within said path, said path having an average width of approximately one nanometer to approximately several micrometers, wherein said transition metal particle has a first magnetic susceptibility and said another particle has a second magnetic susceptibility, wherein said first and said second magnetic susceptibilities are sufficiently different that said transition metal particle passes into said second region while most of said another particle remains in said first region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system, comprising:
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a transition metal electrolyte species with a first magnetic susceptibility;
a second electrolyte species with a second magnetic susceptibility; and
a means for channeling said first electrolyte species with a first magnetic susceptibility preferentially over said second electrolyte species with a second magnetic susceptibility, wherein said means comprises a first material having a first magnetism forming a composite with a second material having a second magnetism. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for separating lanthanides and actinides with different magnetic susceptibilities comprising:
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a first magnetic material with a first magnetism; and
a second magnetic material with a second magnetism working in conjunction with said first magnetic material to produce magnetic gradients, wherein said magnetic gradients separate said f irst particles from said second particles.
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29. A composite material for controlling chemical species transport comprising:
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an ion exchanger;
a graded density layer, wherein said ion exchanger is sorbed into said graded density layer; and
a ligand associated with said composite material to aid in the transport of said chemical species.
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30. An electrode, comprising:
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a first conductor; and
a magnetic composite in surface contact with said first conductor, said magnetic composite further comprising;
an ion exchange polymer; and
a plurality of magnetic beads having a surface coating of one of a second conductor, a semiconductor, and a superconductor. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A system for separating species in a mixture, comprising:
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a magnetic separator having a first side and a second side;
a first vat containing said mixture disposed on said first side of said separator; and
a second vat disposed on said second side of said separator, wherein said species in said mixture are separated by selective passage through said magnetic separator from said first vat to said second vat. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for separating species in a mixture, comprising:
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a magnetic separator having a first side and a second side;
a first vat containing said mixture disposed on said first side of said separator;
a second vat disposed on said second side of said separator; and
a selectivity enhancing material disposed within said system, wherein said species in said mixture are separated by selective passage through said separator from said first vat to said second vat aided by said selectivity enhancing material. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A system for separating species in a mixture, comprising:
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a plurality of adjacent vats; and
a plurality of magnetic separators disposed between said plurality of adjacent vats, wherein said species in said mixture are separated by selective passage through said plurality of magnetic separators from one of said plurality of adjacent vats to another of said plurality of adjacent vats. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A method for separating species in a mixture, comprising the steps of:
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placing said mixture in a first vat;
selectively passing said species through a magnetic separator disposed between said first vat and a second vat; and
collecting said species selectively passed through said magnetic separator in said second vat. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57)
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58. A method for separating species in a mixture, comprising the steps of:
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placing said mixture in a first vat;
forming a complex of said species and a selectivity enhancing material;
selectively passing said species of said complex through a magnetic separator disposed between said first vat and a second vat; and
collecting said species selectively passed through said magnetic separator in said second vat. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60)
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61. A battery, comprising:
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an electrolyte;
a magnetically modified first electrode disposed in said electrolyte, wherein said first electrode has a magnetic field associated therewith that suppresses electrode material dendrite formation; and
a second electrode disposed in said electrolyte. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A battery, comprising:
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an electrolyte;
a first electrode disposed in said electrolyte; and
a second electrode disposed in said electrolyte, wherein said battery has a magnetic coating disposed therein and a magnetic field associated therewith that suppresses electrode material dendrite formation.
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71. A battery, comprising:
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an electrolyte;
a magnetically modified first electrode disposed in said electrolyte, wherein said first electrode has a magnetic field associated therewith that enables said battery to have a shorter discharge time; and
a second electrode disposed in said electrolyte.
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72. A fuel cell, comprising:
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a magnetically modified first electrode; and
a second electrode, wherein a flux of oxygen is established between said first electrode and said second electrode, and wherein said first electrode enhances the kinetic efficiency of the reduction of oxygen to water. - View Dependent Claims (73)
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74. A fuel cell, comprising:
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a magnetically modified first electrode; and
a second electrode, wherein a flux of oxygen is established between said first electrode and said second electrode, and wherein said fuel cell has a thermal signature below 100°
C. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. A fuel cell, comprising:
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a magnetically modified first electrode; and
a second electrode, wherein a flux of oxygen is established between said first electrode and said second electrode, and wherein a potential shift is produced at said first electrode.
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82. A fuel cell having two electrodes and a flux of magnetic species between said two electrodes, wherein one of said two electrodes comprises:
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a conductor; and
a composite magnetic material in surface contact with said conductor, said composite magnetic material having a plurality of transport pathways through said composite magnetic material to enhance the passage of said magnetic species to said conductor, thereby enhancing the kinetic efficiency of the electrolysis of said magnetic species.
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83. A fuel cell having two electrodes and a flux of magnetic species between said two electrodes, wherein one of said two electrodes comprises:
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a conductor; and
a composite magnetic material in surface contact with said conductor, said composite magnetic material having a plurality of transport pathways through said composite magnetic material to enhance the passage of said magnetic species to said conductor, thereby producing a potential shift at said one of said two electrodes.
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84. An ambient pressure fuel cell, comprising:
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a magnetically modified first electrode disposed in said fuel cell;
a second electrode disposed in said fuel cell; and
a fuel source having an established transport direction for constituents thereof disposed between said first electrode and said second electrode. - View Dependent Claims (85)
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86. A fuel cell, comprising:
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a magnetically modified first electrode; and
a second electrode, wherein an increased current is driven by a higher flux of oxygen established between said first electrode and said second electrode and the resultant higher surface concentration of oxygen.
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87. A system for concentrating oxygen from air, comprising:
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a magnetic separator; and
a pathway for said oxygen to pass through said magnetic separator concentrating said oxygen due to magnetic effects of said magnetic separator.
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88. A system for concentrating oxygen from a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, comprising:
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a magnetic separator; and
a pathway for said oxygen to pass through said magnetic separator concentrating said oxygen due to magnetic effects of said magnetic separator.
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89. A method of using a fuel cell, comprising the steps of:
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confining the fuel cell in a geometry;
exposing the fuel cell to air; and
hooking up a device requiring power or recharging to said fuel cell. - View Dependent Claims (90)
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91. A system for plating dense films of lanthanides or actinides, comprising:
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an electrolyte comprising lanthanides or actinides;
a magnetically modified first electrode disposed in said electrolyte;
a second electrode disposed in said electrolyte, wherein said magnetically modified electrode suppresses dendrite formation during the plating of said dense films.
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92. A system for collecting transition metal species, comprising:
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a plurality of scrubbers having located therein magnetic separators for collecting said transition metal species;
means for containing within and distributing externally said plurality of scrubbers amongst said transition metal species;
means for recollecting said plurality of scrubbers within said containing within and distributing externally means after said plurality of scrubbers has collected said transition metal species;
means for releasing said transition metal species from said plurality of scrubbers by turning on or off said magnetic separators and for allowing said plurality of scrubbers to be re-used. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96)
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97. A system for collecting transition metal species, comprising:
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a plurality of scrubbers having located therein magnetic separators for collecting said transition metal species;
means for containing within said plurality of scrubbers;
means for distributing said transition metal species to be collected amongst said plurality of scrubbers;
means for releasing said transition metal species from said plurality of scrubbers after said plurality of scrubbers has collected said transition metal species by turning on or off said magnetic separators and for allowing said plurality of scrubbers to be re-used. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99, 100, 101, 102)
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103. A method for removing transition metal species from an environment, comprising the steps of:
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dispensing a plurality of scrubbers having located therein magnetic separators for collecting said transition metal species into said environment;
allowing said plurality to collect said transition metal species;
recollecting said plurality of scrubbers;
releasing said transition metal species collected by turning on or off said magnetic separators of said plurality of scrubbers that are recollected;
resetting said magnetic separators after said plurality of scrubbers have released said transition metal species collected; and
redispensing said scrubbers into said environment in a recyclable fashion until all or most of said heavy transition metal species has been removed from said environment. - View Dependent Claims (104, 105, 106, 107)
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108. A separator arranged between a first region containing a first type of particle and a second type of particle and a second region, comprising:
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a polystyrene sulfonate ion exchange polymer having a first magnetism;
a second material having a second magnetism;
a plurality of boundaries providing a path between said first region and said second region, each of said plurality of boundaries having a magnetic gradient within said path, said path having an average width of approximately one nanometer to approximately several micrometers, wherein said first type of particles have a first magnetic susceptibility and said second type of particles have a second magnetic susceptibility, wherein said first and said second magnetic susceptibilities are sufficiently different that said first type of particles pass into said second region while most of said second type of particles remain in said first region. - View Dependent Claims (109, 110, 111)
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Specification