Hydrogen Generating Fuel Cell Cartridges

Abstract

A gas-generating apparatus includes a cartridge including a reservoir having a first reactant and a reaction chamber, and a receiver that can include a flow control device. The receiver is adapted to receive the cartridge and to transport the first reactant to the reaction chamber after connection with the cartridge. The flow control device is adapted to stop the transport of reactant when the pressure in the reaction chamber reaches a predetermined pressure.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
   
   
       37 . A fuel for a hydrogen-generating system comprising:
 a solid metal hydride; and   an aqueous solution comprising water, a catalyst, and an alcohol.   
   
   
       38 . The fuel of  claim 37 , wherein the metal hydride comprises of sodium borohydride, lithium borohydride, and potassium borohydride. 
   
   
       39 . The fuel of  claim 37 , wherein the aqueous solution has a pH of from about 2 to about 7. 
   
   
       40 . The fuel of  claim 37 , wherein the aqueous solution comprises acetic acid. 
   
   
       41 . The fuel of  claim 37 , wherein the catalyst comprises of iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, copper, silver, gold, zinc, cadmium, and mercury. 
   
   
       42 . The fuel of  claim 37 , wherein the catalyst comprises a cation of a transition metal, and anion. 
   
   
       43 . The fuel of  claim 42 , wherein the cation comprises of iron (II), iron (III), cobalt, nickel (II), nickel (III), ruthenium (III), ruthenium (IV), ruthenium (V), ruthenium (VI), ruthenium (VIII), rhodium (III), rhodium (IV), rhodium (VI), palladium, osmium (III), osmium (IV), osmium (V), osmium (VI), osmium (VIII), iridium (III), iridium (IV), iridium (VI), platinum (II), platinum (III), platinum (IV), platinum (VI), copper (I), copper (II), silver (I), silver (II), gold (I), gold (III), zinc, cadmium, mercury (I) and mercury (II). 
   
   
       44 . The fuel of  claim 42 , wherein the anion comprises of , hydride, fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, oxide, sulfide, nitride, phosphide, hypochlorite, chlorite, chlorate, perchlorate, sulfite, sulfate, hydrogen sulfate, hydroxide, cyanide, thiocyanate, cyanate, peroxide, manganate, permanganate, dichromate, carbonate, hydrogen carbonate, phosphate, hydrogen phosphate, dihydrogen phosphate, aluminate, arsenate, nitrate, acetate, and oxalate. 
   
   
       45 . The fuel of  claim 37 , wherein the alcohol comprises of methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, t-butanol, ethyleneglycol, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       46 . The fuel of  claim 37 , wherein the solid metal hydride is in an amount of from about 42 to about 52 weight percentage, wherein the water is in an amount of from about 40 to about 50 weight percentage, wherein the catalyst is in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 4 weight percentage, and wherein the alcohol is in an amount of from about 1 to about 10 weight percentage. 
   
   
       47 . The fuel of  claim 46 , wherein the metal hydride is NaBH 4 , the catalyst is CoCl 2 , and the alcohol is CH 2 OH. 
   
   
       48 . The fuel of  claim 37 , wherein the solid metal hydride is in an amount of from about 43 to about 53 volume percentage, wherein the water is in an amount of from about 39 to about 49 volume percentage, wherein the catalyst is in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 3 volume percentage, and wherein the alcohol is in an amount of from about 3 to about 11 volume percentage. 
   
   
       49 . The fuel of  claim 48 , wherein the metal hydride is NaBH 4 , the catalyst is CoCl 2 , and the alcohol is CH 2 OH. 
   
   
       50 - 57 . (canceled)