EXTRUSION FEEDSTOCK AND PRODUCT THEREOF INCLUDING EXTRUDABLE ALUMINUM SCRAP (iEdison No. 0685901-23-0040)
Solid Phase Processing (SPP), such as Friction Extrusion (FE) and Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE), have proven to be effective in recycling aluminum waste (scrap, chips, etc.) to produce extrudates such as rods or tubes. Although rapid consolidation and extrusion are achieved, the properties of the materials are not changed or improved. In the present invention, we developed an in-situ solid phase alloying method to upcycle metal waste into high performance alloys. Alloying elements were added and dispersed in the metal precursor, while dissolving, reacting or precipitating in the matrix during the extrusion process to form the desired phases that were not present in the precursor.
EXTRUSION FEEDSTOCK AND PRODUCT THEREOF INCLUDING EXTRUDABLE ALUMINUM SCRAP (iEdison No. 0685901-23-0040)
Solid Phase Processing (SPP), such as Friction Extrusion (FE) and Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE), have proven to be effective in recycling aluminum waste (scrap, chips, etc.) to produce extrudates such as rods or tubes. Although rapid consolidation and extrusion are achieved, the properties of the materials are not changed or improved. In the present invention, we developed an in-situ solid phase alloying method to upcycle metal waste into high performance alloys. Alloying elements were added and dispersed in the metal precursor, while dissolving, reacting or precipitating in the matrix during the extrusion process to form the desired phases that were not present in the precursor.
Method and System for Introducing Fuel Oil into a Steam Reformer with Reduced Carbon Deposition
The current invention describes a method and devices for delivering JP-8 or diesel fuel to a steam reformer for the purposes of making reformate without the formation of carbon deposits.
MATERIAL SEPARATING ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS (iEdison No. 0685901-22-0268)
Here we disclose a Boycott Separator to separate, dilute/concentrate, or remove particles from flows. To perform particle separations, this new class of separators uses the Boycott effect, in which which settling particles interact with an angled surface to accelerate particle motion toward the bottom of the channel. Here the angled surface is oriented with at least partially with some orthogonality with respect to the flow. Fin arrangements of such surfaces are also disclosed. Numbering up of such surfaces or fins is also disclosed. We also disclose a shallow angle of entry to minimize the length of the device by eliminating recirculating entry zones. Please see subsequent sections for history, problem, relative advantages, etc.
Capture and Release of Acid-Gasses with Acid-Gas Binding Organic Compounds
“Switchable Solvents,” recently discovered by Philip Jessop (Queens University, Canada) and David Heldebrant (Nature, 2005, 436, 1102), show promise as attractive CO2 capture and transfer agents. The alcohol/amidine or guanidine liquid blend chemically binds CO2 at any CO2 pressure to form an ionic amidinium (R2 = C) or guanidinium (R2 = N) alkylcarbonate salt, which is liquid at room temperature (ionic liquid, Figure 1). Switchable Solvent systems are liquid, non-corrosive CO2 trapping agents, whether CO2 is bound or not. The homogeneous liquid phase without a precipitate offers tremendous engineering advantages compared to corrosive liquid, solid or multi-phase chemical trapping agents. Switchable Solvents can be regenerated with gentle heating (50 ˚C) under N2, releasing bound CO2. The release of CO2 is also attainable at room temperature by sparging the system with N2, however the rate of CO2 release is much slower. Switchable Solvents are highly tunable, reversible, and recyclable.
MULTI-AXIS SHEAR-ASSISTED EXTRUSION MACHINE (iEdison No. 0685901-23-0130)
This disclosure is for a new ShAPE machine that has multiple rotational and translational axes. Other auxiliary functions can also be provided in either rotating or non-rotating connections to tooling.
PLASMA MODIFICATION OF ADHESIVE AND SUBSTRATE SURFACES FOR USE IN ADHESIVEJOINT APPLICATIONS (iEdison No. 0685901-23-0109)
Weak interfacial bonding between carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer (CFRTP) and thermoset adhesive is the Achilles' heel for adhesive jointing of CFRTP with other materials. In this invention, we propose a surface modification method that involves plasma treating both adhesive and substrate surfaces to enhance the fracture resistance of dissimilar metal-CFRTP materials bonded with adhesive. We used a high-power plasma treater with compressed air gas to treat the substrate surfaces, and a lower-power plasma treater with a mixture of oxygen and argon gases to treat the adhesives. To test the effectiveness of our proposed method, we performed single lap shear tests on metal-CFRTP joints with optimized treatment parameters for both adhesive and substrates. Our results demonstrate that lap shear strength (LSS) of the joints can be improved by more than 250% compared to as-received counterparts, and more than 50% compared to the case of only treating substrate surfaces. This invention has the potential to make significant contributions to the field of adhesive joining by enhancing the damage tolerance of CFRTP joints with other materials.
ELECTROCHEMICAL HYDROGEN-LOOPING SYSTEM FOR LOW-COST CO2 CAPTURE FROM SEAWATER (iEdison No. 0685901-22-0207)
The proposed ambipolar flow cell (AFC) is a low-cost, modular, and scalable electrodialysis technology for direct removal of carbon dioxide from seawater with drastic operation voltage reduction of > 60%compared with bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BPMED) technology. The AFC is a three-chamber flow cell (Figure.1.) that utilizes H2/H+ through hydrogen oxidation/evolution (HOR/HER) at two separate half-cells to convert the HCO3-and CO32- ions in the center seawater stream into dissolved CO2. The AFC capitalizes on the highly reversible HOR/HER to achieve the salt splitting, resulting in a low theoretical cell voltage of 0.24 V (dependent on pH at each electrode). Figure 1 shows the three-chamber configuration of an AFC cell, in which a proton exchange membrane will be used to electronically separate the anode and the center compartment while the center compartment and cathode will be electronically separated by a sodium ion exchange membrane. These two membranes will provide ionic conductivity, proton at the anode|center interface while Na+ ion at the center|cathode interface, to complete the circuit. When in operation, fresh seawater (pH~8.1) will be circulated through the center compartment and cathode half-cell. The hydrogen will be oxidated at anode half-cell when a voltage is applied across the cell to release two protons (Equation 1) that will be transported though proton exchange membrane (e.g. Nafion 212 or other low-cost non-perflorinated cation exchange membrane (CEM)) to center compartment, where proton will react with HCO3- to produce acidified seawater and CO2 gas (Equation 2-4). As protons are consumed, the charge neutrality of the center-chamber will be maintained by transporting Na+ ions to the cathode half-cell, where hydrogen in water will be reduced, resulting in the generation of hydrogen gas that will be circulated back to the anode half-cell, and the formation of NaOH through the reaction of Equation 5. During the operation, the acidified seawater at center chamber will flow through cathode chamber where acidified seawater will react with NaOH to increase pH of the seawater. Figure 2. The applied voltage vs current density Figure 2 shows the preliminary performance of an unoptimized AFC flow cell. The cell voltage is only ~0.42 V at the current density is 2 mA/cm2, indicating a very low energy consumption of 40 kJ/molCO2 could be achieved to remove CO2 from seawater. The seawater measured at the outlet of the center chamber has a pH value of 6.03, indicating acidification and thus successful removal of the CO2. This results also corroborates with the observed basification of the cathode half-cell due to the HER (Equation 5), in which an increase of pH value was observed from 6.03 to ~8. We also successfully developed a hydrolytic softening assisted EHL (HS-EHL) to extract CO2 from seawater. Figure 3 shows the schematic description of the (HS-EHL) flow cell. The hydrolytic softening process (Equation 6) that can produce CaCO3 is integrated into EHL system that can provide acidified water solution to react with CaCO3. Comparing to EHL, sodium form cation exchange membrane is replaced by calcium form cation exchange membrane because CaCl2 solution will flow through center chamber instead of seawater. When in operation, CaCl2 solution and decalcified seawater will be circulated through the center compartment and cathode half-cell, respectively. The oxidation of hydrogen at anode of HS-EHL will release two protons (Equation 1) that will be transported though proton exchange membrane to acidify the CaCl2 solution at center compartment, the acidify CaCl2 will react with CaCO3 to get neutral CaCl2 solution and release CO2 gas. The charge neutrality of the center-chamber will be maintained by transporting Ca2+ ions to the cathode half-cell, where hydrogen in water will be reduced, resulting in the generation of hydrogen gas that will be circulated back to the anode half-cell. It is noted here that the pH of seawater at cathode chamber is maintained at ~9.5 to prevent the formation of Mg(OH)2 precipitate. After mixing with fresh seawater in the separated chamber, Ca(OH)2 will react with Ca(HCO3)2 in the fresh water to finish hydrolytic softening process. Ca(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2 -----2CaCO3 + 2H2O (Equation 6) Figure 3. the schematic description of HS-EHL system
Thermoelectric Devices and Applications for the Same (CIP of 13664-B and E-1861)
This invention describes thin film (AgSbTe2)1-x(GeTe)x (GAST) and AgxPbTe materials for improved thermoelectric proerties. The thin film GAST materials are p-type nano-structured semiconductors and the AgxPbTe films are n-type materials. The films are used in single layer, quantum well, superlattice, and segmented thermoelectric power generating structures. They are deposited on polyimide, metal, ceramic or semiconductor substrates.