US 12,261,338 B2
Electrochemical device with efficient ion exchange membranes
Eugene S. Beh, Portola Valley, CA (US); Mahati Chintapalli, Berkeley, CA (US); Francisco E. Torres, San Jose, CA (US); and Michael Benedict, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/149,184.
Prior Publication US 2022/0223885 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
Int. Cl. H01M 8/22 (2006.01); B01D 61/42 (2006.01); B01D 61/46 (2006.01); C02F 1/469 (2023.01); C02F 103/08 (2006.01); H01M 8/18 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 8/227 (2013.01) [B01D 61/422 (2013.01); B01D 61/461 (2022.08); C02F 1/4693 (2013.01); H01M 8/188 (2013.01); B01D 2313/50 (2013.01); C02F 2103/08 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrochemical device, comprising:
a first reservoir comprising an input and an output, wherein concentration of an input solution is increased to a threshold concentration during an operation mode;
a second reservoir comprising an input and an output, wherein concentration of the input solution decreases during the operation mode;
a first redox-active electrolyte chamber comprising a first solution of a redox-active electrolyte material and at least one first electrode configured to have a reversible redox reaction with the first redox-active electrolyte material to drive at least one ion into the input solution in the first reservoir;
a second redox-active electrolyte chamber comprising a second solution of a redox-active electrolyte material and at least one second electrode configured to have a reversible redox reaction with the second redox-active electrolyte material to accept at least one ion from the input solution in the second reservoir;
a first type of membrane disposed between the first and second reservoirs; and
a second type of membrane, different from the first type, disposed between the first redox-active electrolyte chamber and the first reservoir and disposed between the second redox-active electrolyte chamber and the second reservoir, wherein the first type of membrane and the second type of membrane are heterogeneous, comprise a dispersion of ceramic particles within a matrix of ionomer and non-ion conducting hydrophobic polymer, and the first type of membrane and the second type of membrane are unreinforced membranes.