Porous Battery Components Comprising Electrochemically Created Nanocatalysts

Abstract

A fuel cell component is described wherein a three-dimensional porous polymeric substrate is coated with a first electrochemically deposited conductive coating and optionally a second and third electrochemically deposited coating to enhance catalysis activity.

1 . A process to produce a battery component comprising the steps:
 a. providing a porous substrate;   b. placing the porous substrate into a first electrochemical bath comprising a first metallic ion;   c. allowing a sufficient amount of time for reduction of the first metallic ion;   d. providing a second electrochemical bath comprising a second metallic ion;   e. allowing a sufficient reduction time to form nanoclusters of the second metallic ion.   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising the additional step of depositing a polymer coating over the nanoclusters. 
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising the additional step of depositing a metallic coating over the nanoclusters. 
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the porous substrate comprises a polymer substrate. 
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the first metallic ion comprises gold. 
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the second metallic ion comprises platinum. 
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the second metallic ion comprises ruthenium. 
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the second metallic ion comprises nickel. 
   
   
       9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the first electrochemical bath comprises a nanoparticle. 
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the porous substrate comprises carbon nanotubes. 
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the porous substrate comprises metal oxide nanoparticles. 
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the porous substrate comprises nano-structured elements comprising chemical moieties. 
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the porous substrate comprises a naturally occurring polymer. 
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the first electrochemical bath further comprises materials to codeposit with the reduction of the metallic ion. 
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the second electrochemical bath further comprises salts to be codeposit with the second metallic ion. 
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the second electrochemical bath further comprises nanoparticles to codeposit with the second metallic ion. 
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the first metallic ion comprises platinum and the second metallic ion comprises ruthenium. 
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising: depositing an activating layer on top of the porous structure to activate the porous structure for reduction of the first electrochemical bath. 
   
   
       19 . A process for forming a battery component comprising:
 a. depositing a catalyst on top of a non-catalytic particle;   b. depositing the catalyst coated non-catalytic particle into a porous substrate.   
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 19  wherein the porous substrate comprises a polymer. 
   
   
       21 . The process of  claim 19  wherein the catalyst comprises nickel. 
   
   
       22 . The process of  claim 19  wherein the catalyst comprises platinum. 
   
   
       23 . The process of  claim 19  wherein the catalyst comprises ruthenium. 
   
   
       24 . A battery component comprising:
 a. a porous substrate;   b. a non-catalytic bead with a catalytic coating inside of the porous substrate.