DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claim
2. In the instant case, claims 1-15 are pending and under examination.
Specification
3. The specification is objected to due to improper references to unlabeled items in figures 1-3. Paragraph 32 of the specification references conductive structure 102B, conductive structure 104B, anode mesh 114, conductive mesh 122, inclined plate 124, and separation chamber 126 in Figures 1 and 3 without these items being labelled in either figure. Each item must be clearly labelled in the referenced figure(s) shown below or the proper figure numbers containing the elements discussed in the specification must be referenced.
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Claim Objections
4. Claims 3 and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
5. Claim 3 recites, “the gas diffusion electrode comprises a catalyst layer, a hydrophilic layer, and a hydrophobic layer, the hydrophilic layer is between the catalyst layer and the hydrophobic layer” but it should read “the gas diffusion electrode comprises a catalyst layer, a hydrophilic layer, and a hydrophobic layer, wherein the hydrophilic layer is between the catalyst layer and the hydrophobic layer.”
6. Claim 12 recites, “the gas diffusion electrode comprises a catalyst layer, a hydrophilic layer, and a hydrophobic layer, the hydrophilic layer is between the catalyst layer and the hydrophobic layer” but it should read “the gas diffusion electrode comprises a catalyst layer, a hydrophilic layer, and a hydrophobic layer, wherein the hydrophilic layer is between the catalyst layer and the hydrophobic layer.”
Appropriate correction is required for claims 3 and 12.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
7. Claim 1 is rejected to under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), for the use of an indefinite approximate term. The term “substantially equal” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially equal” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. For purposes of examination, “substantially equal” will be interpreted as an approximation that encompasses +/-10% of “the sum of a first thickness of the cation exchange membrane and a second thickness of the flow channel element.”
Claims 2-11 are also rejected to under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) due to dependence on claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
8. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
9. Claims 1 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S. 103 as being unpatentable over Xia (DOI: 10.1126/science.aay1844), in view of Ma (DOI: 10.1039/d1ta06101a) and Cooper (U.S. Patent Application No. 10/170879) as evidenced by Li (DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c07637).
10. Regarding claim 1, Xia discloses an electrolytic cell, which teaches a cation exchange membrane; a cathode compartment, comprising a gas diffusion electrode and a flow channel element, wherein the flow channel element is between the cation exchange membrane and the gas diffusion electrode, and the flow channel element has a plurality of flow channels (Fig. 1B and Fig. S1F shown below). Xia also discloses an anode compartment, which teaches a cation exchange membrane is between the anode and a flow channel element and a distance between the anode and the gas diffusion electrode is substantially equal to the sum of a first thickness of the cation exchange membrane and a second thickness of the flow channel element.
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11. Xia does not disclose a plurality of flow channels arranged in parallel with each other.
12. However, Ma discloses a plurality of flow channels arranged in parallel with each other to reduce pressure drop (Fig. 5a shown below and pg. 20902, par. 2).
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13. It would be obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to substitute the single serpentine channel in the flow channel element taught by Xia with a plurality of flow channels arranged in parallel with each other taught by Ma. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to use a plurality of parallel flow channels to yield the predictable result of reducing the pressure drop of the flow in the flow channel element. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of success for combining the flow channel element taught by Xia with the parallel flow channels taught by Ma because electrolytic cells are modifiable and using these components involves a substitution of functional equivalents with a predictable outcome.
14. Xia does not disclose an anode mesh.
15. However, Cooper discloses an anode current collector that comprises a grid, felt, screen, foam, mesh, sponge or sintered frit (Claim 19).
16. Cooper does not teach that an anode mesh could be used to promote bubble dispersion, but this is evidenced by Li who teaches a mesh anode that promotes bubble detachment (pg. 45347, par. 2 and pg. 45351, par. 3), which is equivalent to bubble dispersion.
17. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to substitute the catalyst deposited on gas diffusion layer anode taught by Xia (Supplementary Information, pg. 2, par. 2) with a mesh anode taught by Cooper (Claim 19). One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to make this substitution to promote bubble dispersion. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of success for using the mesh anode taught by Cooper in the electrolytic cell taught by Xia since electrolytic cells are modifiable and using the anode mesh involves a substitution of functional equivalents with a predictable outcome.
18. Regarding claim 10, Ma discloses a gas-liquid separation in the anode compartment (Fig 2a and Fig 3 shown below).
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19. Ma does not disclose a debubbling mesh.
20. However, Cooper discloses an anode current collector that comprises a grid, felt, screen, foam, mesh, sponge or sintered frit (claim 19).
21. Cooper does not teach that an anode mesh could be used to promote bubble dispersion, but this is evidenced by Li who teaches a mesh anode that promotes bubble detachment (pg. 45347, par. 2 and pg. 45351, par. 3), which is equivalent to bubble dispersion.
22. It would be obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the mesh taught by Cooper into the anode compartment housing a gas-liquid separation as taught by Ma for debubbling as evidenced by Li. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to use an anode mesh to promote debubbling. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of success for combining the anode mesh taught by Cooper with the anode separation taught by Ma into the electrolytic cell taught by Xia since electrolytic cells are modifiable and this involves a modification with a predictable outcome.
23. Claims 4, 6-9, 13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xia (DOI: 10.1126/science.aay1844), in view of Ma (DOI: 10.1039/d1ta06101a) and Cooper (U.S. Patent Application No. 10/170879).
24. Regarding claim 4, Ma discloses both a copper and silver catalyst layer (pg. 20911, par. 3 and 20905, par. 3). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the copper or silver catalyst layer taught by Ma into the electrolytic cell of claim 3 taught by Xia. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do this to direct reaction selectivity towards desired products. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of success for using the catalyst taught by Ma in the electrolytic cell taught by Xia since electrolytic cells are modifiable and using a copper or silver catalyst involves a substitution of functional equivalents with a predictable outcome.
25. Regarding claim 6, Xia discloses a cathode, equivalent to a cathode compartment, that utilizes a gas diffusion layer which is equivalent to a gas diffusion electrode (Supplementary Information, pg. 2, par. 2).
26. Xia does not disclose a cathode compartment comprising an elastic mesh, wherein the elastic mesh is formed and braided by a plurality of nickel wires, a wire diameter of the plurality of nickel wires is from 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm, a thickness of the elastic mesh is from 1 mm to 10 mm, and the elastic mesh is in direct contact with the gas diffusion electrode.
27. However, Cooper discloses a cathode current collector (housed within the equivalent of a cathode compartment) comprised of a grid, felt, screen, foam, mesh, or sintered frit (claim 21). This disclosure encompasses an elastic mesh that is formed and braided by a plurality of nickel wires, a wire diameter of the plurality of nickel wires is from 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm, and a thickness of the elastic mesh is from 1 mm to 10 mm that is claimed by the applicant. Cooper also discloses that the cathode current collector is positioned in contact with a gas while concurrently in contact with electrolyte (pg. 3, par. 33, lines 8-10) which is equivalent to being in direct contact with a gas diffusion electrode since a gas diffusion electrode creates an interface between gaseous reactants and electrolytes as taught by Ma (pg. 20903-20904, section 3.3 Gas diffusion layers, par. 1).
28. It would be obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the mesh cathode taught by Cooper in direct contact with the gas diffusion electrode within the electrolytic cell taught in claim 1 by Xia, Ma, and Cooper. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do this to promote conductivity. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of using the mesh cathode taught by Cooper in direct contact with the gas diffusion layer taught by Ma within the electrolytic cell taught by Xia since electrolytic cells are modifiable and using a mesh cathode in contact with a gas diffusion layer involves a substitution of functional equivalents with a predictable outcome.
29. Regarding claim 7, Ma teaches a cathode compartment comprising a gas inlet and a liquid inlet, and the anode compartment further comprising a liquid inlet (Fig. 4C shown below). It would be obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to be motivated to incorporate the cathode compartment comprising a gas inlet and a liquid inlet, and the anode compartment further comprising a liquid inlet taught by Ma into the electrolytic cell taught in claim 1 by Xia, Ma, and Cooper. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do this to configure the electrolytic cell for performing the desired reactions. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of success for using the cathode compartment taught by Ma in the electrolytic cell taught by Xia since electrolytic cells are modifiable and this involves a substitution with a predictable outcome.
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30. Regarding claim 8, Cooper discloses a cell assembly, which teaches an anode compartment with an anode mesh (claim 21), that is tilted at an acute angle (<90 degrees) (claim 1). This is equivalent to the applicants claim of an anode compartment further comprising an inclined plate, and an angle between the inclined plate and the anode mesh is from 3 degrees to 10 degrees. It would be obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to be motivated to angle the cell assembly taught by Xia, Ma, and Cooper in claim 1, or part of said cell assembly, at an acute angle as taught by Cooper. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do this to promote gravity-assisted flow. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of success for using the angled cell assembly taught by Cooper in the electrolytic cell taught by Xia since electrolytic cells are modifiable and this involves a modification with a predictable outcome.
31. Regarding claim 9, Ma discloses a gas-liquid separation in the anode compartment (Fig 2a and Fig 3 shown below).
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32. Ma does not disclose an inclined plate.
33. However, Cooper discloses a cell assembly that is substantially rectangular or planar and tilted at an acute angle (claim 1) which is equivalent to the inclined plate taught by the applicant.
34. It would be obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the anode compartment gas-liquid separation taught by Ma into an opening above the inclined plate taught by Cooper to ease downstream processing. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do this to create separate streams for gases and liquids and ease downstream processing. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of success for to combine the anode compartment separation taught by Ma with the inclined plate taught by Cooper into the electrolytic cell taught by Xia since electrolytic cells are modifiable and this would involve a modification with a predictable outcome.
35. Regarding claim 13, Ma discloses both a copper and silver catalyst layer (pg. 20911, par. 3 and 20905, par. 3). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the copper or silver catalyst layer taught by Ma into the electrolytic cell of claim 3 taught by Xia. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do this to direct reaction selectivity towards desired products. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of success for using the catalyst taught by Ma in the electrolytic cell taught by Xia since electrolytic cells are modifiable and using a copper or silver catalyst involves a substitution of functional equivalents with a predictable outcome.
36. Regarding claim 15, Cooper discloses a cathode current collector (equivalent to a cathode compartment) comprised of a grid, felt, screen, foam, mesh, or sintered frit (claim 21). It would be obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the mesh cathode taught by Cooper into the electrolytic cell taught in claim 1 by Xia, Ma, and Cooper. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to promote conductivity. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of success for using the cathode mesh taught by Cooper in the electrolytic cell taught by Xia since electrolytic cells are modifiable and using a cathode mesh involves a substitution of functional equivalents with a predictable outcome.
37. Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xia (DOI: 10.1126/science.aay1844), in view of Ma (DOI: 10.1039/d1ta06101a) and Cooper (U.S. Patent Application No. 10/170879) as evidenced by Chemours (Nafion Product Information) and ScienceDaily (“New approach can save up to 95 percent of energy used for pipelines”).
38. Regarding claim 2, Xia discloses a Nafion 115 cation exchange membrane (Supplementary Information, pg. 2, par. 2) with a thickness of 0.127 mm as evidenced by Chemours’ “Nafion™ Product Information (pg. 2, Section A. Thickness and Basis Weight Properties, published in 2015) which is a thickness between 0.1 mm and 0.6 mm.
39. Xia also teaches a flow channel element (Fig. S1F shown below), but does not disclose a flow channel element from 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm.
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40. However, Ma teaches an ultrathin flowing electrolyte channel (<1 mm thickness) that is between the cathode and anode which is equivalent to a flow channel element having a thickness from 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm.
41. It would be obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the ultrathin flowing electrolyte channel taught by Ma with the Nafion 115 cation exchange membrane taught by Xia. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this since Nafion 115 is commercially available and ultrathin flow channels are conducive to laminar flow conditions which reduces pump energy usage. Ma does not teach that laminar flow reduces pump energy usage but this is evidenced by ScienceDaily which teaches up to a 95% pump energy savings using laminar flow as opposed to turbulent flow (“New approach can save up to 95 percent of energy used for pipelines” accessed from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180108121612.htm). One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of success for combining the flow channel taught by Ma with the membrane taught by Xia because electrolytic cells are modifiable and using these components involves a substitution of functional equivalents with a predictable outcome.
42. Claims 3, 5, 12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xia (DOI: 10.1126/science.aay1844), in view of Ma (DOI: 10.1039/d1ta06101a) and Cooper (U.S. Patent Application No. 10/170879) as evidenced by SGL Carbon (Powering up fuel cells).
43. Regarding claim 3, Xia discloses a Pt-C catalyst loaded on Sigracet BC (Supplementary Information, pg. 3, par. 2) which is equivalent to a gas diffusion electrode comprising a catalyst layer, a hydrophilic layer, and a hydrophobic layer, the hydrophilic layer is between the catalyst layer and the hydrophobic layer as evidenced by the manufacturer of Sigracet, SGL Carbon’s “Powering up fuel cells” (pg. 3, Sketch of the bilayer structure of gas diffusion layers shown below and pg. 3, par. 1-4).
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44. Regarding claim 5, Xia discloses the electrolytic cell of claim 3, wherein Sigracet BC is used (Supplementary Information, page 3, par. 2) which is equivalent to a material where the hydrophilic layer is a carbon black layer, and the hydrophobic layer is a carbon fiber layer as evidenced by the manufacturer of Sigracet, SGL Carbon’s “Powering up fuel cells” (pg. 3, Sketch of the bilayer structure of gas diffusion layers shown below and pg. 3, par. 1-4).
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45. Regarding claim 12, Xia discloses an electrolytic cell which teaches a cation exchange membrane; a cathode compartment, comprising a gas diffusion electrode and a flow channel element, wherein the flow channel element is between the cation exchange membrane and the gas diffusion electrode, and the flow channel element has a plurality of flow channels (Fig. 1B and Fig. S1F shown below). Xia also discloses a Pt-C catalyst loaded on Sigracet BC (Supplementary Information, pg. 3, par. 2) which is equivalent to a gas diffusion electrode comprising a catalyst layer, a hydrophilic layer, and a hydrophobic layer, the hydrophilic layer is between the catalyst layer and the hydrophobic layer as evidenced by the manufacturer of Sigracet, SGL Carbon’s “Powering up fuel cells” (pg. 3, Sketch of the bilayer structure of gas diffusion layers shown below and pg. 3, par. 1-4). Furthermore, Xia discloses an anode compartment, which teaches a cation exchange membrane is between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment (Fig 1B).
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46. Xia does not disclose a plurality of flow channels arranged in parallel with each other.
47. However, Ma discloses a plurality of flow channels arranged in parallel with each other for reducing pressure drop (Fig. 5a shown below and pg. 20902, par. 2).
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48. It would be obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to substitute the single serpentine channel in the flow channel element taught by Xia (Fig. S1F) with a plurality of flow channels arranged in parallel with each other taught by Ma (Fig. 5a). One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to use a plurality of parallel flow channels to yield the predictable result of reducing the pressure drop of the flow in the flow channel element. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have had a reasonable expectation of success for combining the flow channel element taught by Xia with the parallel flow channels taught by Ma because electrolytic cells are modifiable and using these components involves a substitution of functional equivalents with a predictable outcome.
49. Regarding claim 14, Xia discloses that Sigracet BC is used (Supplementary Information, page 3, par. 2) which is equivalent to a material where the hydrophilic layer is a carbon black layer, and the hydrophobic layer is a carbon fiber layer as evidenced by the manufacturer of Sigracet, SGL Carbon’s “Powering up fuel cells” (pg. 3, Sketch of the bilayer structure of gas diffusion layers shown below and pg. 3, par. 1-4).
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50. Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xia (DOI: 10.1126/science.aay1844), in view of Ma (DOI: 10.1039/d1ta06101a) and Cooper (U.S. Patent Application No. 10/170879) as evidenced by Ridley (U.S. Patent Application US20100086829A1).
51. Regarding claim 11, Xia discloses electrolytic cells in stacks (pg. 231), which is equivalent to at least two electrolytic cells formed in series as evidenced by Ridley (U.S. Patent Application US20100086829A1, par. 2).
Conclusion
52. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bradie S. Crandall whose telephone number is (571)272-9778. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm EST.
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/B.S.C./Examiner, Art Unit 1793
/EMILY M LE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1793