Fuel blends for hydrogen generators
First Claim
1. An aqueous fuel for a hydrogen generator comprising an aqueous or hydroalcoholic solution or slurry of a mixture of boron hydrides including at least one boron hydride salt with a positive ion selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and aluminum cations, said mixture of boron hydrides having a positive ionic charge (+IC) to boron ratio of between 0.2 and 0.4 or between 0.6 and 0.99.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to improved aqueous fuels for hydrogen generators and a method for using them in the production of hydrogen. The present invention also relates to a system of using the subject aqueous fuels to generate hydrogen gas for use in a fuel cell or other device. The subject fuels contain a mixture of boron hydrides, at least one of which is a metal salt, including metal borohydrides, higher boranes and metal higher boron hydrides. The subject aqueous fuels contain a mixture of boron hydrides having a positive ionic charge (+IC) to boron ratio of between 0.2 and 0.4 or between 0.6 and 0.99. Preferred fuels contain a mixture of boron hydrides having an (+IC) to boron ratio between 0.2 and 0.3 or between 0.7 and 0.8. Mixtures containing a metal borohydride also contain a metal hydroxide to stability it against premature hydrolysis in the aqueous fuel media.
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Citations
39 Claims
- 1. An aqueous fuel for a hydrogen generator comprising an aqueous or hydroalcoholic solution or slurry of a mixture of boron hydrides including at least one boron hydride salt with a positive ion selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and aluminum cations, said mixture of boron hydrides having a positive ionic charge (+IC) to boron ratio of between 0.2 and 0.4 or between 0.6 and 0.99.
- 15. A method of generating hydrogen gas comprising contacting an aqueous fuel comprising an aqueous or hydroalcoholic solution or slurry of a mixture of boron hydrides including at least one boron hydride salt with a positive ion selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, and aluminum cations, said mixture of boron hydrides having a positive ionic charge (+IC) to boron ratio of between 0.2 and 0.4 or between 0.6 and 0.99 with a hydrogen generating catalyst selected from the group consisting of acids and transition metals.
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23. A hydrogen generation system, comprising
(a) an aqueous fuel comprising an aqueous or hydroalcoholic solution or slurry of a mixture of boron hydrides including at least one boron hydride salt with a positive ion selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and aluminum cations, said mixture of boron hydrides having a positive ionic charge (+IC) to boron ratio of between 0.2 and 0.4 or between 0.6 and 0.99; -
(b) a hydrogen generating catalyst selected from the group consisting of acids and transition metals, and (c) means to contact the aqueous fuel with the catalyst thereby generating hydrogen. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A hydrogen generation system, comprising
(a) a fuel blend including at least one boron hydride salt with a positive ion selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, and aluminum cations; -
(b) an accelerant comprising an acidic polyhedral boron hydride salts selected from the group consisting of the hydronium and ammonium salts of polyhedral boron hydrides, wherein said mixture of boron hydrides and accelerant has a positive ionic charge (+IC) to boron ratio of between 0.2 and 0.4 or between 0.6 and 0.99; and
(c) means to contact the fuel blend and water with the accelerant thereby generating hydrogen. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification