The present invention relates to producing inexpensive and more efficient fuel cells.
Fuel cells are an important enabling technology for the nation's energy portfolio and have the potential to revolutionize the way we power our nation, offering cleaner, more-efficient alternatives to the combustion of gasoline and other fossil fuels. Fuel cells have the potential to replace the internal-combustion engine in vehicles and provide power in stationary and portable power applications because they are energy-efficient, clean, and fuel-flexible.
A fuel cell is a device that uses a fuel and oxygen to create electricity by an electrochemical process. A single fuel cell consists of an electrolyte and two catalyst-coated electrodes (a porous anode and cathode). Each of the electrodes is coated on one side with a catalyst layer that speeds up the reaction of oxygen and hydrogen. It is usually made of platinum powder very thinly coated onto carbon paper or cloth. The catalyst is rough and porous so the maximum surface area of the platinum can be exposed to the hydrogen or oxygen. Platinum-group metals are critical to catalyzing reactions in the fuel cell, but they are very expensive. The U.S. Department of Energy's goal is to reduce the use of platinum in fuel cell cathodes by at least a factor of 20 or eliminate it altogether to decrease the cost of fuel cells to consumers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide electrodes for fuel cells that are made of non-platinum material, such as Au, Ni, Al, etc. It is yet another object of this invention to provide a method for growing a thin film between the non-platinum electrodes, consisting of Si, Ge, etc., using eutectics.
The present invention provides fuel cells created on non-platinum electrodes. In one example the invention grows thin semiconductor films such as silicon between non-platinum electrodes such as gold.
In another embodiment, amorphous silicon can be deposited between the gold pads with amorphous to crystalline transformation taking place to produce a polycrystalline film of silicon. The film of Si will have grain boundary (gb) perpendicular to the gold pads.
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In another embodiment, Au is deposited on Ag and as Ag diffuses through Au the Si—Au eutectic will change from 363° C. towards 835° C. which will precipitate Si out at a rate determined by diffusion of Au through the Au film. A slow way of crystallizing Si and subsequently Si can be processed at a higher temperature.
While the present invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments, those of normal skill in the art will appreciate the modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope and the spirit of the present invention. Such modifications and variations are envisioned to be within the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/892,117, filed Oct. 17, 2013 entitled “Eutectic Fuel Cell,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61892117 | Oct 2013 | US |