Metallization of bacterial cellulose for electrical and electronic device manufacture

• US 6,986,963 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Original Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Inventors: Evans, Barbara R., O'Neill, Hugh M., Woodward, Jonathan, Jansen, Valerie Malyvanh
• Primary Examiner(s): Alejandro, Raymond
• Application Number:
  US10/017,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20030113610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 429/2, 429/30, 429/40, 429/41, 429/44, 429/42, 429/33, 502/101
• US Class Current: 429/493
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8817 Treatment of supports before application of the catalytic active composition coated porous composites H01M8/0245
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8842 Coating using a catalyst salt precursor in solution followed by evaporation and reduction of the precursor
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/92 Metals of platinum group H01M4/94 , H01M4/9058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1004 characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The employment of metallized bacterial cellulose in the construction of fuel cells and other electronic devices is disclosed. The fuel cell includes an electrolyte membrane comprising a membrane support structure comprising bacterial cellulose, an anode disposed on one side of the electrolyte membrane, and a cathode disposed on an opposite side of the electrolyte membrane. At least one of the anode and the cathode comprises an electrode support structure comprising bacterial cellulose, and a catalyst disposed in or on the electrode support structure.

Claims

1. A fuel cell comprising:

an electrolyte membrane comprising a membrane support structure comprising bacterial cellulose;

an anode disposed on one side of the electrolyte membrane; and

a cathode disposed on an opposite side of the electrolyte membrane,

wherein at least one of the anode and the cathode comprises an electrode support structure comprising bacterial cellulose, and a metal catalyst disposed in or on the electrode support structure, the metal catalyst being disposed in or on the electrode support structure by placing the electrode support structure in a solution of a metal salt for a sufficient time period such that the metal salt is reduced to metallic form and the metal catalyst precipitates in or on the electrode support structure, and

wherein each anode or cathode comprising an electrode support structure comprising bacterial cellulose is held together to the electrolyte membrane by hydrogen bonds.

2. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein:

the catalyst is selected from platinum group metals.

3. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein:

the catalyst is palladium.

4. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein:

a metal salt is disposed in or on the membrane support structure.

5. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein:

a sulfonated polymer is disposed in or on the membrane support structure.

6. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein:

the electrode support structure is dehydrated after the metal catalyst is disposed in or on the electrode support structure.

7. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein:

the membrane support structure is dehydrated.

8. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein:

the anode and the cathode comprise an electrode support structure comprising bacterial cellulose, and a catalyst disposed in or on the electrode support structure.

9. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein:

the metal salt is a coordination compound including a platinum metal group complex ion.

10. The fuel cell of claim 8 wherein:

the anode is held together to the electrolyte membrane by hydrogen bonds and the cathode is held together to the electrolyte membrane by hydrogen bonds.