Borohydride fuel compositions and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A solid fuel composition, comprising:
- about 20 to about 99.7% by weight borohydride salt of formula M(BH4)n, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n corresponds to the charge of the selected M cation; and
a stabilizing amount of a hydroxide salt of formula M′
(OH)n′
, wherein M′
is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n′
corresponds to the charge of the selected M′
cation.
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Abstract
Solid self-stabilized borohydride fuel compositions, fuel cartridges, related methods of preparation and hydrogen generation are provided. The fuel compositions comprise mixtures of at least one borohydride salt with a cation selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, preferably sodium borohydride, and at least one hydroxide salt with a cation selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, preferably sodium hydroxide.
67 Citations
83 Claims
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1. A solid fuel composition, comprising:
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about 20 to about 99.7% by weight borohydride salt of formula M(BH4)n, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n corresponds to the charge of the selected M cation; and
a stabilizing amount of a hydroxide salt of formula M′
(OH)n′
, wherein M′
is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n′
corresponds to the charge of the selected M′
cation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 82, 83)
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27. A stable fuel composition, comprising a mixture of
a borohydride salt of formula M(BH4)n and a hydroxide salt of formula M′ - (OH)n, wherein M and M′
are independently selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation,wherein the composition upon reaction with water is characterized by the production of gas at a rate less than about 1 liter per kilogram of material per hour averaged over about a 7-hour period. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 52, 53, 54, 63)
- (OH)n, wherein M and M′
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40. A method of preparing a compacted solid fuel composition for hydrogen generation, the method comprising:
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providing a uniform mixture of about 20 to about 99.7% by weight borohydride salt of formula M(BH4)n and about 0.3 to about 80% by weight hydroxide salt of formula M′
(OH)n, wherein M and M′
are independently selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation and ammonium cation; and
applying pressure to compact the mixture into at least one solid unit form having a density greater than the mixture. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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55. A method of generating hydrogen gas, comprising:
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providing a solid fuel composition containing a homogeneous dispersion of about 20 to about 99.7% by weight borohydride salt of formula M(BH4)n and about 0.3 to about 80% by weight hydroxide salt of formula M′
(OH)n, wherein M and M′
are independently selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation;
dissolving the solid fuel composition to prepare an aqueous fuel solution; and
contacting the aqueous fuel solution with a catalyst to produce hydrogen gas. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 79, 80, 81)
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64. A compacted solid fuel composition for hydrogen generation, comprising about 20 to about 99.7% by weight sodium borohydride salt;
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about 0.3 to about 80% by weight sodium hydroxide salt homogeneously interdispered with the sodium borohydride salt; and
wherein the compacted solid fuel composition is in a form selected from the group consisting of caplets, tablets, granules, spheres, parallelepipeds and cubes, and has a density of from about 0.7 to about 1.2 g/mL. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. A method of preparing a solid fuel composition for hydrogen generation, the method comprising:
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providing a solution of about 2 to about 35% by weight borohydride salt of formula M(BH4)n and about 0.5 to about 40% by weight hydroxide salt of formula M′
(OH)n, in water, wherein M and M′
are independently selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation and ammonium cation;
cooling said solution to produce a frozen solution; and
subliming the water from said frozen solution to produce a solid mixture substantially free of solvent.
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75. A solid fuel composition, comprising:
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about 20 to about 99.7% by weight borohydride salt of formula M(BH4)n, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n corresponds to the charge of the selected M cation; and
a stabilizing amount of a hydroxide salt of formula M′
(OH)n′
, wherein M′
is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n′
corresponds to the charge of the selected M′
cation, wherein the solid fuel composition has an X-Ray powder diffraction (XRPD) pattern with peaks at 25, 29, 41.5, 49 and 51.5 degrees 2-theta.
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76. A solid fuel composition, comprising:
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about 20 to about 99.7% by weight borohydride salt of formula M(BH4)n, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n corresponds to the charge of the selected M cation; and
a stabilizing amount of a hydroxide salt of formula M′
(OH)n′
, wherein M′
is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n′
corresponds to the charge of the selected M′
cation, andwherein the ratio by weight of the borohydride salt to the hydroxide salt is less than about 40;
1.
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77. A solid fuel composition, comprising:
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at least two salts of formula M(BH4)n and M′
(BH4)n′
, wherein M and M′
are independently selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n and n′
correspond to the charge of the selected M and M′
cation, respectively; and
a stabilizing amount of a hydroxide salt of formula M″
(OH)n″
, wherein M″
is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n″
corresponds to the charge of the selected M″
cation, andwherein the solid fuel composition upon reaction with water produces gas at a rate less than about 1 liter per kilogram of material per hour averaged over about a 7-hour period.
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78. A method of preparing a solid fuel composition for hydrogen generation, the method comprising:
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providing about 20 to about 99.7% by weight borohydride salt of formula M(BH4)n, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n corresponds to the charge of the selected M cation;
providing a stabilizing amount of a hydroxide salt of formula M′
(OH)n′
, wherein M′
is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, aluminum cation, zinc cation, and ammonium cation, and n′
corresponds to the charge of the selected M′
cation, wherein the ratio by weight of the borohydride salt to the hydroxide salt is less than about 40;
1l; and
mixing the borohydride salt and the hydroxide salt to form a substantially uniform mixture.
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Specification