Fuel cells having silicon substrates and/or sol-gel derived support structures
First Claim
1. An electrode assembly adapted for use with a fuel cell, comprising:
- an anode derived from a first planar silicon substrate;
an electrolyte;
a cathode derived from a second planar silicon substrate;
wherein the anode and the cathode are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other so as to define a spaced apart region, and wherein the electrolyte is interposed between the anode and the cathode, and wherein the anode and the cathode each have a plurality of porous regions that define anode pore surfaces and cathode pore surfaces, and wherein the anode pore surfaces and the cathode pore surfaces each have a catalyst dispersed thereon such that the catalyst is noncontiguously dispersed throughout the plurality of porous regions of the anode and the cathode.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Fuels cells, electrode assemblies, and electrodes that comprise silicon and/or sol-gel derived support structures, as well as to methods relating thereto, are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the invention is directed to an electrode assembly adapted for use with a fuel cell comprises: an anode derived from a first planar silicon substrate; an electrolyte; a cathode derived from a second planar silicon substrate; wherein the anode and the cathode are parallel to each other and separated by an interstitial region comprising the electrolyte. In another embodiment, the invention is directed to electrode adapted for use with a fuel cell, wherein the electrode comprises a silicon substrate that functions as a current conductor, wherein the silicon substrate has a plurality of pores that define pore surfaces, wherein at least a portion of the pore surfaces have a catalyst thereon, wherein the catalyst is derived from one or more metallic precursors chemisorbed onto at least the pore surfaces.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. An electrode assembly adapted for use with a fuel cell, comprising:
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an anode derived from a first planar silicon substrate;
an electrolyte;
a cathode derived from a second planar silicon substrate;
wherein the anode and the cathode are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other so as to define a spaced apart region, and wherein the electrolyte is interposed between the anode and the cathode, and wherein the anode and the cathode each have a plurality of porous regions that define anode pore surfaces and cathode pore surfaces, and wherein the anode pore surfaces and the cathode pore surfaces each have a catalyst dispersed thereon such that the catalyst is noncontiguously dispersed throughout the plurality of porous regions of the anode and the cathode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 50, 52)
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21. An electrode assembly adapted for use with a fuel cell, comprising:
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an anode derived from a first planar silicon substrate, wherein the anode has integrally associated therewith a plurality of anode sol-gel derived support structures;
an electrolyte;
a cathode derived from a second planar silicon substrate, wherein the cathode has integrally associated therewith a plurality of cathode sol-gel derived support structures;
wherein the anode and the cathode are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other so as to define a spaced apart region, and wherein the electrolyte is interposed between the anode and the cathode. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51)
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53. An electrode assembly adapted for use with a fuel cell, comprising:
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anode derived from a first planar silicon substrate;
an electrolyte;
a cathode derived from a second planar silicon substrate;
wherein the anode and the cathode are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other so as to define a spaced apart region, and wherein the electrolyte is interposed between the anode and the cathode, and wherein the anode and the cathode each have a plurality of porous regions that define anode pore surfaces and cathode pore surfaces, and wherein the anode pore surfaces and the cathode pore surfaces each have a catalyst dispersed thereon such that the catalyst is noncontiguously dispersed throughout the plurality of porous regions of the anode and the cathode, and wherein the anode and the cathode each have been doped such that the anode and the cathode are each capable of functioning as a current conductor.
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54. An electrode assembly adapted for use with a fuel cell, comprising:
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anode derived from a first planar silicon substrate;
an electrolyte;
a cathode derived from a second planar silicon substrate;
wherein the anode and the cathode are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other so as to define a spaced apart region, and wherein the electrolyte is interposed between the anode and the cathode, and wherein the anode and the cathode each have a plurality of porous regions that are separated from one another by a plurality of nonporous silicon regions and that define anode pore surfaces and cathode pore surfaces, and wherein the anode pore surfaces and the cathode pore surfaces each have a catalyst dispersed thereon such that the catalyst is noncontiguously dispersed throughout the plurality of porous regions of the anode and the cathode.
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55. An electrode assembly adapted for use with a fuel cell, comprising:
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anode derived from a first planar silicon substrate;
an electrolyte;
a cathode derived from a second planar silicon substrate;
wherein the anode and the cathode are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other so as to define a spaced apart region, and wherein the electrolyte is interposed between the anode and the cathode, and wherein the anode and the cathode each have a plurality of porous regions that are separated from one another by a plurality of nonporous silicon regions and that define anode pore surfaces and cathode pore surfaces, and wherein the anode pore surfaces and the cathode pore surfaces each have a catalyst dispersed thereon such that the catalyst is noncontiguously dispersed throughout the plurality of porous regions of the anode and the cathode, and wherein the anode and the cathode each have been doped such that the anode and the cathode are each capable of serving as a current conductor.
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Specification