Process for making a hydrogen generation catalyst

• US 6,683,025 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Protonex Technology Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Millennium Cell Inc.
• Inventors: Kelly, Michael T., Amendola, Steven C., Binder, Michael, Petillo, Phillip J., Sharp-Goldman, Stefanie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silverman, Stanley S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson, Edward M.
• Application Number:
  US09/999,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20020083643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 502/315, 502/316, 502/318, 502/321, 502/324, 502/326, 502/331, 502/337, 502/338, 502/339, 502/347, 502/439, 427/255.6, 427/255.11, 427/255.26, 427/255.28
• US Class Current: 502/439
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/462 Ruthenium
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 31/08 Ion-exchange resins
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/16 Reducing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/348 Electrochemical processes, e.g. electrochemical deposition or anodisation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

Abstract

The present invention relates to a composition and method for storage and controlled release of hydrogen. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of borohydride based solutions as a hydrogen storage source and a catalyst system to release hydrogen therefrom.

Claims

1. A process for producing a supported hydrogen generation catalyst comprising:

contacting an anionic exchange resin substrate with a solution comprising an anionic complex of a transition metal ion, said complex represented by the formula (M^y+X₆)<sup>(y−

6)</sup>, wherein M is a transition metal, y is the valence of the transition metal, and X is an anion with a single negative charge, thereby effecting an exchange reaction whereby the anion associated with the exchange resin is substituted with the anion of said transition metal complex, wherein said solution is obtained by dissolving a transition metal salt in an acid to form said complex, further wherein the anion of said acid corresponds to the anion of said transition metal salt; and

contacting the resulting anionic exchange resin substrate with a reducing agent.

2. A process for producing a supported hydrogen generation catalyst, comprising:

evaporating a transition metal complex comprising a transition metal ion and a chemical vapor deposition complexing compound;

condensing said transition metal complex onto a substrate; and

contacting the transition metal complex deposited on the substrate with a reducing agent.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein

the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ceramics, plastics, polymers, glass, fibers, ropes, nonwovens, wovens, textiles, fabrics, carbons, carbon-fibers, ion exchange resins, metals, alloys, wires, wires, meshes, and combinations thereof;

the transition metal ion is selected from the group consisting of an anion, a cation, an anion complex or a cation complex of a transition metal, wherein said transition metal is selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, manganese, rhodium, rhenium, platinum, palladium, chromium, silver, osmium, iridium, borides thereof, alloys thereof, and mixtures thereof;

the reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of metal hydrides, hydrazine, hydrogen gas, glucose, hydroxylamine, carbon monoxide, dithionate, sulfur dioxide, borohydride, alcohols, and mixtures thereof;

and the chemical vapor deposition complexing compound is 2,4 pentane dione.