The disclosed invention includes articles having advantageous ceramic layers with a ceramic/metal intermediate layer that diminishes towards a pure metal core. Such articles have substantial use in unconventional, harsh environments.

A modular flow battery includes a battery stack container housing a plurality of redox flow battery stacks in fluid communication with at least one pair of electrolyte containers including an anolyte container for holding an anolyte and a catholyte container for holding a catholyte. Additional pairs of electrolyte containers can be connected to the battery stack container to increase an amount of energy that can be stored by the modular flow battery system. Respective housings enclosing each of the battery stack container and the electrolyte containers are configured for operation in a stacked configuration. In this manner, the energy storage capacity of the modular flow battery system can be further increased with substantially no increase in a lateral area occupied by the system.

Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) for separators in electrochemical devices and methods for making same are disclosed herein. AEMs include chloromethylated SEBS triblock copolymer functionalized with TRIS cations and chloromethylated QPEK-C functionalized with TMA cations. Composite AEMs further include metal oxide fillers. Reinforced AEMs and reinforced composite AEMs further include a reinforcement material base.

Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) for separators in electrochemical devices and methods for making same are disclosed herein. AEMs include chloromethylated SEBS triblock copolymer functionalized with TRIS cations and chloromethylated QPEK-C functionalized with TMA cations. Composite AEMs further include metal oxide fillers. Reinforced AEMs and reinforced composite AEMs further include a reinforcement material base.

The present invention is a resin composition for dense fuel cell separators, which contains a graphite powder and an epoxy resin component that contains a base material, a curing agent and a curing accelerator, and wherein: the graphite powder has a spring back of 20-70% and an average particle diameter d50 of 30-100 μm; and the curing accelerator is an imidazole compound that has an aryl group in the 2-position. This resin composition for dense fuel cell separators enables the achievement of a dense separator for fuel cells, which satisfies a predetermined performance even in cases where the separator is compression molded in a short time that is less than 10 seconds.

The present invention is a resin composition for dense fuel cell separators, which contains a graphite powder and an epoxy resin component that contains a base material, a curing agent and a curing accelerator, and wherein: the graphite powder has a spring back of 20-70% and an average particle diameter d50 of 30-100 μm; and the curing accelerator is an imidazole compound that has an aryl group in the 2-position. This resin composition for dense fuel cell separators enables the achievement of a dense separator for fuel cells, which satisfies a predetermined performance even in cases where the separator is compression molded in a short time that is less than 10 seconds.

Hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) fluid can be transported through an electrochemical device, which has a proton exchange membrane (PEM) disposed between a pair of gas-permeable electrodes that include respective catalysts. At an inlet side, the catalyst facilitates reaction of HFO with hydrogen carrier gas. The resulting cation is transported across PEM in the presence of an electric field applied to the electrodes. At an outlet side, the catalyst of the opposing electrode facilitates dissociation of the cation back into HFO and hydrogen. In some embodiments, the transported HFO has a higher pressure than that before the electrochemical device. In some embodiments, the electrochemical device can be operated in reverse to expand HFO fluid and/or to recapture power. The electrochemical device can thus be used as a compressor or expander for vapor-phase HFO or as a pump or expander for liquid-phase HFO, for example, in power generation or heating/cooling cycles.

Hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) fluid can be transported through an electrochemical device, which has a proton exchange membrane (PEM) disposed between a pair of gas-permeable electrodes that include respective catalysts. At an inlet side, the catalyst facilitates reaction of HFO with hydrogen carrier gas. The resulting cation is transported across PEM in the presence of an electric field applied to the electrodes. At an outlet side, the catalyst of the opposing electrode facilitates dissociation of the cation back into HFO and hydrogen. In some embodiments, the transported HFO has a higher pressure than that before the electrochemical device. In some embodiments, the electrochemical device can be operated in reverse to expand HFO fluid and/or to recapture power. The electrochemical device can thus be used as a compressor or expander for vapor-phase HFO or as a pump or expander for liquid-phase HFO, for example, in power generation or heating/cooling cycles.

Solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stacks require a significant nominal compressive loading for proper operation and sealing. This loading is typically provided using relatively thick end plates and tight straps. In certain fuel cell applications, one or more solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stacks are secured in larger enclosures (e.g. for isolation and crashworthiness in automotive applications). The enclosures however can themselves be sturdy enough to provide the necessary loading on the fuel cell stacks within. The present invention takes advantage of that to allow for use of thinner end plates and/or weaker straps which would otherwise be insufficient for use.

A storage module of distributed flow battery is provided. An electrochemical reaction is processed with the positive and negative electrolytes to produce and/or discharge direct current and further output the positive and negative electrolytes after the reaction. The module comprises two end plates; two frames disposed between the two end plates; two current collectors disposed between the two frames; two complex cast polar plates disposed between the two current collectors; two electrodes disposed between the two complex cast polar plates; a membrane disposed between the two electrodes; and three gaskets. Therein, two of the gaskets are set to sandwich and enclose one of the two complex cast polar plates; and the other one of the gaskets is set between the other one of the two complex cast polar plates and an adjacent one of the current collectors.