A method for lowering the activation energy of a polycrystalline ceramic electrolyte is disclosed. Polycrystalline ceramic electrolytes, such as beta-alumina, when contacted with hydrogen selenide exhibit a lower activation energy than untreated electrolytes.

A sodium ion sensor having a composite electrolyte is disclosed. The sodium ion sensor has an outer electrolyte which is insensitive to water and has a high transport activity for sodium ions and an inner electrolyte which is a thin membrane having a very high sodium ion selectivity. The sodium ion sensor having such an electrolyte is sensitive only to the transport of sodium ions and may be operated in aqueous solutions without buffering and in the presence of other alkali ions and alkaline ear...

A method is provided for synthesizing beads using starting ceramic, metal, or mineral powders. Typical size of these round beads can range from about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm based on the processing variables. In the method, a slip is obtained which contains a metal, ceramic, and/or mineral powder dispersed in a solvent and an organic binder, such as a grain flour. Droplets of the slip are contacted with heated oil for a sufficient time to form beads. The beads are separated from the oil and dried ...

The invention is a ceramic solid electrolyte based electrochemical oxygen concentrator cell and the method for fabricating said cell. The cell is based on a doped cerium oxide ceramic solid electrolyte and lanthanum strontium cobaltite ceramic electrodes.

A fluid delivery device including a container for holding a predetermined quantity of fluid, a gas generator for generating gas within the container, and a dispenser for cyclically dispensing fluid at predetermined intervals out of the container without cyclical actuation by a user.

A device for introducing a first fluid into a second fluid stream comprising an enclosure and a member which causes release of a first fluid. The enclosure releasably retains the first fluid. The release causing member causes the release of the first fluid from the enclosure into the second fluid stream upon detection of a predetermined condition associated with the second fluid stream.

A process for producing ceramic, or ceramic composite, components having microfeatures by creating a chemical reaction in a castable slurry to bond nano-sized or submicron-sized ceramic powders. The bonding process that gives coherency and strength to the material creates a reaction product or gel-phase resulting from a chemical reaction between the ceramic powder and a reagent, such as an acid, alkali, or inorganic salt solution, that binds the ceramic powder. This gel-phase can be de-hydrated,...

A low cost, accurate, single use, disposable, iontophoretic fluid delivery device having cationic and anionic chambers separated by container structure and arranged to promote a flow of treatment ions into a body. The device desirably uses rugged minibatteries safely to provide increased electromotive force to the ion transfer process compared to galvanic cells having electrolyte matched to a human body's electrolyte. Minibatteries may be located in one or both cationic and anionic chambers, and...

A electrolytic cell for efficiently producing caustic from sodium salts via use of a thin membrane of ceramic or ceramic composite electrolyte is disclosed. Ceramic electrolytes having a very mobile sodium ion such as NASICON are very effective in cells producing concentrated caustic from sodium salts of strong acids.

An ion conducting device having a plurality of solid electrolyte plates arranged into a stack, each electrolyte plate having electrode material adherent to a significant portion thereof. A plurality of individual spacers are disposed between adjacent electrolyte plates in the stack, each spacer spacing successive electrolyte plates apart, and defining a plurality of chambers in the spaces between adjacent electrolyte plates. The electrode material on the electrolyte plates is electrically connec...