Patent Application
20140262770
The present invention generally relates to a system for fabricating an electrochemical cell. More particularly, the invention is a system that includes switchable components for combinatorial evaluation of materials, solvents, membranes, separators and the like for electrochemical applications.
The current paradigm for screening of bulk electrode materials (foils, plates, pellets, etc.), solvents, electrolytes, and components (membranes, separators, etc.) for electrochemical cells and reactions relies on low throughput experiments conducted using conventional glassware or slow-to-assemble custom apparatus. Thus, testing components that might be used in an electrochemical reaction, as well as varying and optimizing the electrochemical reaction itself is time consuming. There is a need in the art for a system that allows for rapid and repetitive testing and evaluation of materials that can be utilized in evaluating, developing and optimizing electrochemical reactions and materials and components used in electrochemical reactions.
In summary, the invention is a system that can be used for fabricating an electrochemical cell comprising a first cell block and a first electrode plate attachable to the first cell block. The first cell block includes a front surface, a back surface and a top surface, in which the front surface and the back surface are substantially parallel and the top surface is substantially perpendicular to the front surface and the back surface. The first cell block includes an opening in the front surface and extending through the first cell block to an opening in the back surface to form a first channel extending from the front surface to the back surface. The first cell block also includes a third opening in the top surface extending through the first cell block from the top surface to the first channel to form a second channel, wherein the first channel and second channel are substantially perpendicular to one another. The first electrode plate includes a front surface, a back surface and a top surface, the front surface and the back surface being substantially parallel and the top surface being substantially perpendicular to the front surface and the back surface. A first opening in the front surface of the first electrode plate defines a cavity. A second opening in the first electrode plate is in the top surface or the back surface and the first opening connects to the second opening. The system can include a second electrode plate that cab be the same as or different from the first electrode plate. The second electrode plate may be attachable to the first cell block or a different cell block.
The first cell block can also include alignment openings in the front and back surfaces for aligning and/or attaching the first cell block with the first electrode plate. In embodiments, the first cell block can further have a lower hole extending from the right or left surface of the first cell block to the first channel and an upper hole between the lower hole and the top of the first cell block extending from the right or left surface of the first cell block to the first channel or the second channel. In some embodiments, there is a second lower hole in the first cell block extending from the left or right surface of the first cell block opposite the surface having the lower hole to the first channel.
Embodiments of the first electrode plate can also include alignment openings in the front and back surfaces for aligning and/or attaching the first electrode plate to the first cell block. The second opening in the first electrode plate can be in the top surface with a bore connecting the cavity to the second opening and the back surface of the first electrode plate being solid. In other embodiments, the second opening in the first electrode plate is in the back surface and the cavity forms a channel extending from the front surface to the back surface.
Embodiments of the system can include a separator or an electrode positionable between the first cell block and the first electrode plate. In some embodiments, the system includes at least one O-ring positionable between the first electrode plate and the separator or electrode or between the first cell block and the separator or electrode.
In embodiments, the system includes a second electrode plate and a second cell block and wherein the second electrode plate is attachable to a second cell block and the first cell block is attachable to the second cell block. In embodiments, the system includes a second electrode plate, a second cell block and a third cell block wherein the second electrode plate is attachable to the third cell block and the second cell block is attachable to the first cell block and the second cell block. The system can be a kit including a first electrode plate and a first cell block, and optionally one or more of a second electrode plate, a second cell block and a third cell block.
The invention also includes a single component as described above. The single component may be one or more of a cell block an electrode plate, a first cell block, a second cell block, a third cell block, a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate.
Further objectives and advantages, as well as the structure and function of preferred embodiments will become apparent from a consideration of the description, drawings, and examples.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The terms “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, “left” and “right” are intended to designate relative positions and not to designate absolute orientation.
Embodiments of the invention are discussed in detail below. In describing embodiments, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected. While specific exemplary embodiments are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations can be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the invention. All references cited herein are incorporated by reference as if each had been individually incorporated. The present description is exemplary and explanatory only and not restrictive nor limiting of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate subject matter of the disclosure. Together, the descriptions and the drawings serve to explain but not limit the principles of the disclosure.
Described herein is a system for rapid combinatorial testing of materials, for example solvents, membranes, separators, and the like, that are useful for electrochemical processes. The system can also be utilized for evaluation of electrochemical processes themselves. Also described are methods by which electrochemical processes and materials may be tested utilizing the system. The present system includes a cell block and electrode plate that can be assembled in a variety of configurations. Electrochemical cells can be fabricated using one or both of the components described herein and can also use other components. For example, one of the two electrodes in the electrochemical cell can be in the form of an electrode attached directly to a cell block or held in place by an electrode plate having a different construction, for example a solid plate sandwiching the electrode between the plate and the cell block. The configurations allow for rapid assembly, disassembly and cleaning to allow rapid testing of chemicals, materials, and processes for use in electrochemical applications.
The cell block 100 can be made of any suitable material. Typically, an inert material, including, but not limited to plastic, elastomer, composite, or ceramic, is utilized. The material can be transparent to light of a particular wavelength (UV, visible or IR) to allow for optoelectrochemical reactions. Inert materials can prevent contamination and the simple modular nature facilitates immersion in cleaning solution, and low trapped volume allows for ease of cleaning and rapid drying.
In an exemplary embodiment, the cell block is about 3.25 in (8.25 cm) in height, about 1.0 in (2.5 cm) thick and about 2 in (5 cm) wide. The first channel can have a diameter of about 0.78 in (2 cm) and can be positioned with a center about 1 in (2.5 cm) from the bottom of the cell block. The lower holes 102, 104, can be positioned about with a center about 1 in (2.5 cm) from the bottom of the cell block, thus entering at the center of the channel. The upper hole 103 can be positioned about with a center about 2.25 in (5.7 cm) from the bottom of the cell block. The upper and lower holes can have a diameter of about 0.2 in (0.5 cm).
The first embodiment of an electrode plate 200a includes a cavity 201 in the form of a channel extending from the front surface to the back surface of the electrode plate. One end/opening of the cavity 201 can hold an electrode for placement against a cell block, while the opposite open end enables electrical contact or connection to the electrode by mechanical contact (potentially enhanced by a conductive paste or adhesive) to the outward-facing surface of the electrode opposite the surface in contact with an adjacent cell block. Potential contamination of electrolyte in the cell (i.e. channel 101) by external electrical components is avoided by fully isolating these electrical connections from the electrochemical chamber.
In the second embodiment of an electrode plate 200b, only the front surface is open to the cavity 201 and the back surface of the electrode plate is solid, thus forming a blind hole or cavity. In an exemplary use of this second embodiment, a membrane or separator material is placed between the electrode plate 200b and the cell block 100. The cavity 201 can be used as an electrolyte compartment.
In both the first embodiment 200a and the second embodiment 200b, and as is the case with the cell block, the cavity 201 can include a counterbore 206 for placement of a sealing o-ring for sealing an electrode, membrane or separator material between the cell block and electrode plate. Either embodiment 200a, 200b of the electrode plate can use alignment holes 208 that align with alignment holes 108 of the cell block 100 and support the clamping of an electrode plate-cell block assembly. In one embodiment, the alignment holes 208 accommodate insertion of a screw sleeve that provides alignment between electrode plates and cell block. These sleeves provide a close sliding fit to the hexagonal bores in the clamping through holes 108 of the cell block to ensure alignment between sealing o-rings in cell blocks and electrode plates. The alignment holes 208 can also be surrounded by a protrusion that can rest in a recessed counterbore of the cell block. This is illustrated in
The electrode plate of the invention can be made of any suitable material. Typically, an inert material, including, but not limited to plastic, elastomer, composite, or ceramic, is utilized. The material can be transparent to light of a particular wavelength (UV, visible or IR) to allow for optoelectrochemical reactions. Inert materials can prevent contamination and the simple modular nature facilitates immersion in cleaning solution, and the low trapped volume allows for ease of cleaning and rapid drying.
In exemplary embodiments, the electrode plate can be a square with side lengths of about 2 in (5 cm) and a thickness of about 0.25 inch (0.64 cm). The cavity opening in the front can have a diameter of about 0.8 in (2 cm) and be centrally located in the electrode plate. When the second opening is on the top of the electrode plate, the electrode plate can be thicker, for example about 0.5 in (1.25 cm) and the opening can be about 1 in (2.5 cm) long and about 0.25 in (0.64 cm) wide. The top opening can be offset from the center of the electrode plate so that the rear wall (as defined by the solid back of the plate, is about 0.06 in (0.15 cm) thick.
The modular nature of the system of the present invention allows for the assembly of a wide range of configurations that can include multiple electrodes, electrolytes, cell compartments, membranes and separators. The system allows for quick assembly, disassembly, cleaning and reassembly so that rapid and high throughput testing changeover can be achieved allowing for quicker and more efficient testing of electrochemical materials and processes and, accordingly, optimization. The use of components made from inert material with low trapped-volume enables rapid and efficient cleaning such that contamination of experiments is minimized. Any variable in the electrochemical reaction system can in principle be optimized using the present invention including electrodes, membranes, membrane materials, solvents, electrolytes, concentrations of electrolytes, processes, catalysts, reactant and reactant properties and concentrations as well as variations in temperature and other reaction parameters.
The configurations exemplified below are illustrative only. Persons skilled in the art will readily appreciate additional configurations that can be fabricated using the electrode plate(s) and cell block(s) of the invention described herein. The illustrated embodiments all utilize two electrode plates according to the invention. In practice, one of the electrode plates could be replaced by, for example, an electrode directly attached to a cell block or a differently constructed electrode plate, for example a solid plate that holds the electrode material in place could be used. Suitable configurations can be fabricated to mimic virtually any configuration that might be found in an electrochemical cell or that exemplify a larger scale cell.
The system can be assembled with seals 304 made using o-rings and clamping force provided by screws 305. In the illustrated embodiment, screws 305 extend through the alignment holes 208 of the electrode plates and engage with threaded sleeves 306 that are inserted into the clamping through holes 108 of the cell blocks 100, 100′. Alternatively, clamping force may be supplied by components other than threaded fasteners; including magnets, pneumatic/hydraulic forces, or “snap-to-connect” type fasteners.
The system can be assembled with seals 404 made using o-rings and clamping force provided by screws 405. The screws 405 may be of differing length (405a, 405b) located on opposing diagonals of the electrode plate and engaged with threaded sleeves 406 that may be in alternating cell blocks to ensure a sufficiently tight fit for secure assembly. In the illustrated embodiment, screws 405 extend through the alignment holes 208 of the electrode plates and engage with threaded sleeves 406 that are inserted into the clamping through holes 108 of the cell blocks 100, 100′. Alternatively, clamping force may be supplied by components other than threaded fasteners; including magnets, pneumatic/hydraulic forces, or “snap-to-connect” type fasteners.
The use of two membranes/separators 402, 402′ in addition to the presence of electrolyte confined in the second cell block 100′ reduces the occurrence of cross-over between channel or reaction compartments in the first cell block 100′ and third cell block 100″. The embodiment of
The system can be assembled with seals 504 made using o-rings and clamping force provided by screws 505. In the illustrated embodiment, screws 505 extend through the alignment holes 208 of the electrode plates and engage with threaded sleeves 506 that are inserted into the clamping through holes 108 of the cell block 100. Alternatively, clamping force may be supplied by components other than threaded fasteners; including magnets, pneumatic/hydraulic forces, or “snap-to-connect” type fasteners.
Vertical Biphasic Configuration—This arrangement can be realized utilizing the H-cell configuration, the three cell configuration or others, however the assembly is rotated 90 degrees such that the plane of the membrane/separator materials is normal to the gravitational acceleration vector, i.e. the system is assembled in a horizontal plane so that current flows in a vertical direction. By orienting the system in this way, it is possible to conduct electrochemical testing of nonmiscible solutions on opposing sides of the membrane(s)/separator(s) with minimal cross-over of solution/products/electrolytes. As previously described, in this configuration the system facilitates rapid assembly, versatile testing of electrochemical processes and materials, ease of product sampling and analysis, while enabling efficient cleaning and low risk of contamination.
Optoelectrochemical Configuration—Using any of the previously described configurations, one or more of the electrode plates is made from an optically transparent (UV, visible, or IR) conductive material such as a conductive oxide, polymer, or other carbon derivative (i.e. graphene or carbon nanotubes). Alternatively, one or more of the cell blocks may be made from an optically transparent material such as a plastic, elastomer, or ceramic. This embodiment enables light to enter the cell and participate in chemical processes, facilitating optoelectrochemical evaluation of processes and materials.
The components and system of the present invention can be utilized for the rapid evaluation of electrochemical processes. For example, the system can be used to test and evaluate solvents, electrolytes, concentrations of electrolytes, processes, reactants, reactant properties and concentrations of reactants, electrolytes, etc. used in electrochemical processes. They system can be used to determine the utility and efficacy of a reaction as well as optimization of reaction conditions. The components and system can also be used for the evaluation and testing of electrodes and electrode materials, membranes or separators and membrane or separator materials, solvents, electrolytes, concentrations of electrolytes, processes, and catalysts. More particularly, the system can be used for:
Solutions and components of the electrochemical cell can be rapidly removed, cleaned and reassembled in order to evaluate different materials, reactants, solvents, etc. For example, first and a second membrane material can be compared and evaluated by constructing a cell having a suitable configuration using the first membrane material, and performing the desired experiment and evaluating the results. The system is then readily disassembled by removing a small number of screws, cleaned and reassembled using the second membrane material in place of the first membrane material. A second experiment is performed and the results evaluated. Extensive set up of a second apparatus or complex disassembly and reassembly is avoided. Further, because the apparatus is otherwise identical, a direct comparison between the first and second membrane materials is accomplished; there are no other variables in apparatus to consider. Alternatively, using the three cell configuration, it may be possible to directly compare membrane materials by using different materials as the separators 402, 402′. Other components and reactants can be compared using a similar procedure.
The system can be operated using liquids including aqueous or non-aqueous electrolyte or mixtures thereof, gases, or liquids saturated with a gaseous component. The system can be operated using gas-phase or liquid feed stock and used to test evaluate and optimize feedstock identities, concentrations and other reaction conditions. The system may be operated at any temperature suitable for the material used and the nature of the electrochemical reaction being evaluated, and the material can be varied to accommodate a wide range of temperatures. In a typical operating environment, temperatures may range from about 0° C. to about 150° C., although it may be operated outside of those temperature ranges. The system may be operated at any pressure suitable for the material used and the nature of the electrochemical reaction being evaluated, and the material can be varied to accommodate a wide range of pressures. In a typical operating environment, pressures may range from about 0.5 atmospheres to about 3 atmospheres, although it may be operated outside of those pressure ranges. Multiple embodiments of the system may be used in parallel or in series to accomplish multi-step electrochemical processes.
The system may be utilized by an automated system capable of assembly, operation, analysis, disassembly, and cleaning without the involvement of a person. In this case, assembly, operation, analysis, disassembly, and cleaning may be implemented as sets of instructions or software readable by a device.
It is believed that the present disclosure and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components without departing from the disclosed subject matter or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form described is merely explanatory, and it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
The embodiments illustrated and discussed in this specification are intended only to teach those skilled in the art the best way known to the inventors to make and use the invention. Nothing in this specification should be considered as limiting the scope of the present invention. All examples presented are representative and non-limiting. The above-described embodiments of the invention may be modified or varied, without departing from the invention, as appreciated by those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. The accompanying methods present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and are not necessarily meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/784,922 filed Mar. 14, 2013 and which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61784922 | Mar 2013 | US |
