Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120288782 | STABLE ULTRALYOPHOBIC COATING FOR PEMFC BIPOLAR PLATE WATER MANAGEMENT - An electrode plate is disclosed. The electrode plate includes a plate having an active area, a feed region in fluid communication with the active region, and a tunnel region in fluid communication with the feed region and a manifold region, an ultralyophobic coating on one or more of at least a portion of the tunnel region, at least a portion of the feed region, and an interface between the tunnel region and the manifold region. Fuel cells using the electrode plate and methods of making electrode plates are also described. | 11-15-2012 |
20130122390 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING THICKNESS OF FORM-IN-PLACE SEALING FOR PEM FUEL CELL STACKS - A sealed assembly is made using sealant including a deformable spacer to control thickness without adversely impacting elasticity and sealing force. Deformable spacers (e.g., elastomer, polyolefin, etc.) are mixed with an elastomeric precursor material and dispensed onto an assembly component, such as a fuel cell bipolar plate, and the remaining component(s) are assembled by pressing against the deformable spacer to ensure a defined seal thickness. The precursor is cured to form a seal that is further compressed to provide an effective sealing force. The deformable spacers control the thickness of a sealed area and allow use of form-in-place sealing processes. | 05-16-2013 |
20130331509 | Flexible, Low Temperature, Filled Composite Material Compositions, Coatings, and Methods - There is provided a flexible, low temperature, filled composite material composition and method of synthesizing the composite material composition. The composite material composition has a segmented copolymer elastomer having an α,ω-(alpha, omega)-dihydroxy terminated polysiloxane species, a diisocyanate species, and an amine or hydroxy terminated chain extender. The composite material composition further has a solid particulate filler. The composite material composition has a high flexibility at a temperature of down to about −100 degrees Celsius, has a percent elongation of greater than about 100%, and has a tensile strength of greater than about 5 MPa (megapascals). | 12-12-2013 |
20140162022 | STRUCTURAL COATINGS WITH DEWETTING AND ANTI-ICING PROPERTIES, AND COATING PRECURSORS FOR FABRICATING SAME - Variations of this invention provide durable, impact-resistant structural coatings that have both dewetting and anti-icing properties. The coatings in some embodiments possess a self-similar structure that combines a low-cost matrix with two feature sizes that are tuned to affect the wetting of water and freezing of water on the surface. Dewetting and anti-icing performance is simultaneously achieved in a structural coating comprising multiple layers, wherein each layer includes (a) a continuous matrix; (b) discrete templates dispersed that promote surface roughness to inhibit wetting of water; and (c) nanoparticles that inhibit heterogeneous nucleation of water. These structural coatings utilize low-cost, lightweight, and environmentally benign materials that can be rapidly sprayed over large areas using convenient coating processes. The presence of multiple layers means that if the surface is damaged during use, freshly exposed surface will expose a coating identical to that which was removed, for extended lifetime. | 06-12-2014 |
20140272301 | STRUCTURAL COATINGS WITH DEWETTING AND ANTI-ICING PROPERTIES, AND PROCESSES FOR FABRICATING THESE COATINGS - Durable, impact-resistant structural coatings with dewetting and anti-icing properties are disclosed. The coatings possess a self-similar structure with two feature sizes that are tuned to affect the wetting of water and freezing of water on the surface. Dewetting and anti-icing performance is simultaneously achieved in a structural coating comprising multiple layers, with each layer including (a) a continuous matrix; (b) porous voids, dispersed within the matrix, to inhibit wetting of water; and (c) nanoparticles, on pore surfaces, that inhibit heterogeneous nucleation of water. These structural coatings utilize low-cost and lightweight materials that can be rapidly sprayed over large areas. If the surface is damaged during use, fresh material will expose a coating surface that is identical to that which was removed, for extended lifetime. | 09-18-2014 |
20140329166 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING THICKNESS OF FORM-IN-PLACE SEALING FOR PEM FUEL CELL STACKS - A sealed assembly is made using sealant including a deformable spacer to control thickness without adversely impacting elasticity and sealing force. Deformable spacers (e.g., elastomer, polyolefin, etc.) are mixed with an elastomeric precursor material and dispensed onto an assembly component, such as a fuel cell bipolar plate, and the remaining component(s) are assembled by pressing against the deformable spacer to ensure a defined seal thickness. The precursor is cured to form a seal that is further compressed to provide an effective sealing force. The deformable spacers control the thickness of a sealed area and allow use of form-in-place sealing processes. | 11-06-2014 |
20150044420 | Coatings, Coating Compositions, and Methods of Delaying Ice Formation - A coating includes at least one coating layer containing first particles, second particles, and third particles distributed throughout a cross-linked, continuous polymer matrix. An outer surface of the coating layer includes surfaces of at least first particles extending outward from a top periphery of the polymer matrix. The outer surface exhibits a property of delaying ice formation compared to the coating layer without the first particles. A method includes applying a coating composition in one application step. The one-step coating composition contains first particles, second particles, and third particles in a base containing a polymer. A coating composition includes first particles, second particles, and third particles distributed in a matrix precursor. | 02-12-2015 |
20150133602 | LOW TEMPERATURE SEGMENTED COPOLYMER COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS - There is provided a method of synthesizing a segmented copolymer that includes mixing one or more α,ω (alpha, omega) amine or α,ω (alpha, omega) hydroxyl terminated polysiloxane first soft segments having an average molecular weight of between about 2500 grams per mole to about 10,000 grams per mole, and one or more diisocyanate species, together to form a first reaction product; mixing the first reaction product and one or more low molecular weight diol or diamine chain extenders each having an average molecular weight of less than 400 grams per mole, together in a solvent to form a segmented copolymer; and, removing the solvent. | 05-14-2015 |