Gas diffusion substrate with greatly improved water management

Patents This month the patent summaries have been made even briefer than they were before, in an effort to catch up most of the backlog of recently pubfished US and WO patents. It is encouraging that there is clearly so much research and development work going on in this very active area. We expect to return to more detailed summaries once most of the bacHog has been summarised. Hopefully the essential features of these new inventions are clear enough, even in this abbreviated form.

Water management system for PEM fuel cells

Cooling catalysts, to reduce CO concentration

Applicant: IFC, USA Patent number: WO 00/54350

Applicant: Toyota, Japan Patent number: US 6120925

DMFC membrane with good swell resistance

Inhibition of carbon deposition on steam reformer walls

Applicant: Center for Advanced Science &

Applicant: IFC, USA Patent number: US 6120926

Technology Incubation, Japan Patent number: WO 00/54351

Improved sealing for fuel cell gasket/membrane assembly Applicant: Flexfab Horizons International,

Catalyst to remove CO from reformate over wide temperature range Applicant: Matsnshita Electric Works, Japan Patent number: WO 00/54879

USA

Fuel cell frame to facilitate movement of fluids and gases Applicant: Proton Energy Systems, USA Patent number: US 6117287

Ambient-pressure fuel cell with fully hydrated membranes Applicant: University of California, USA (Los Alamos National Laboratory) Patent number: US 6117577

Patent number: WO 00/54352

Driving air compressor and water pump by same motor Applicant: Siemens, Germany Patent number: WO 00/54353

Minimising heat radiation from fuel cell system Applicant: Siemens, Germany Patent number: WO 00/54354

Catalysed wall fuel gas reformer resistant to carbon deposits

Improved cold-start performance using reformer heat

Applicant: IFC, USA Patent number: US 6117578

Applicant: Siemens, Germany Patent number: WO 00/54355

Water removal from PEM fuel cell

Improved cold-start using electrode as catalytic burner

Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd, Japan

Improved Pt-Ru-Ni alloy fuel cell catalyst for methanol oxidation Applicant: Symyx Technologies, USA Patent number."WO 00/55928

Gas diffusion substrate with greatly improved water management Applicant: Johnson Matthey, UK Patent number: WO 00/55933

Compact automotive system for reforming hydrocarbon fuel Applicant: Arthur D. Little, USA Patent number: US 6123913

Feeding anode waste gas to gas motor to increase energy output Applicant: Siemens, Germany Patent number: US 6124050

Patent number: US 6117579

Applicant: Siemens, Germany Patent number: WO 00/54356

MCFC current collector minimises electrolyte loss

Stack with improved delivery of input reactants

Applicant: DaimlerChrysler, Germany Patent number: US 6117580

Applicant: IFC, USA Patent number: WO 00/54357

PEMFC electrode with hydrophilic conductive zeolite support

Composite tubular fuel cells and modules

Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, USA Patent number."US 6117581

Applicant: Fraunhofer-GeseUschaft, Germany Patent number: WO 00/54358

Japan

SOFC cathode composition to improve stability

Creating steam from cooling stream of PEM fuel cell

Fuel cell with internal combustion chamber eliminates start-up burner

Applicant: Dow Chemical, USA Patent number: US 6117582

Applicant: IFC, USA Patent number: US 6120923

Applicant: Fuel Cell Technologies IncoUSA Patent number: US 6124053

Improved noble metal ternary alloy fuel cell catalysts

Perovskite-type oxides containing Ni and Fe for SOFC air electrode

Fuel cell with sufficient anode flow to purge inert residue

Applicant: Symyx Technologies, USA Patent number: WO 00/54346

Applicant: NTT Corporation, Japan Patent number: US 6120924

Applicant: IFC, USA Patent number: US 6124054

(~)

Stack with novel cooling and gas distribution systems Applicant: Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies, USA Patent number: US 6124051

Compact automotive PEM system with improved efficiency Applicant: Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho, Patent number: US 6124052

Fuel Cells Bulletin No. 32