Metallization of bacterial cellulose for electrical and electronic device manufacture
First Claim
1. A method for forming a fuel cell, the method comprising:
- providing an electrode support structure comprising bacterial cellulose;
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 precipitates in or on the electrode support structure to form an electrode material;
providing an electrolyte membrane;
placing an anode on one side of the electrolyte membrane; and
placing a cathode on an opposite side of the electrolyte membrane,wherein one of the anode and the cathode comprises the electrode material, andwherein the electrode support structure comprises hydrated bacterial cellulose, andwherein the method further comprises dehydrating the electrode support structure after the metal precipitates in or on the electrode support structure to form the electrode material, andwherein the metal salt is selected from coordination compounds including a platinum metal group complex ion, and mixtures thereof.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for the deposition of metals in bacterial cellulose and for the employment of the metallized bacterial cellulose in the construction of fuel cells and other electronic devices is disclosed. The method for impregnating bacterial cellulose with a metal comprises placing a bacterial cellulose matrix in a solution of a metal salt such that the metal salt is reduced to metallic form and the metal precipitates in or on the matrix. The method for the construction of a fuel cell comprises placing a hydrated bacterial cellulose support structure in a solution of a metal salt such that the metal precipitates in or on the support structure, inserting contact wires into two pieces of the metal impregnated support structure, placing the two pieces of metal impregnated support structure on opposite sides of a layer of hydrated bacterial cellulose, and dehydrating the three layer structure to create a fuel cell.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method for forming a fuel cell, the method comprising:
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providing an electrode support structure comprising bacterial cellulose; 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 precipitates in or on the electrode support structure to form an electrode material; providing an electrolyte membrane; placing an anode on one side of the electrolyte membrane; and placing a cathode on an opposite side of the electrolyte membrane, wherein one of the anode and the cathode comprises the electrode material, and wherein the electrode support structure comprises hydrated bacterial cellulose, and wherein the method further comprises dehydrating the electrode support structure after the metal precipitates in or on the electrode support structure to form the electrode material, and wherein the metal salt is selected from coordination compounds including a platinum metal group complex ion, and mixtures thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification