Electrolyte Forming Process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016233534-A1
Application number	US-201514672285-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2015
Priority date	Feb 6, 2015
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A process for forming an electrolyte for a metal-supported solid-oxide fuel cell, the process comprising:
a. applying a doped-ceria green electrolyte to an anode layer; b. removing any solvents and organic matter from the green electrolyte; c. pressing the green electrolyte to increase green electrolyte density; and d. heating the green electrolyte at a rate of temperature increase whilst in the temperature range 800° C.-1000° C. of in the range 5-20° C./minute to form the electrolyte, together with an electrolyte obtained by the process, a fuel cell and fuel cell stack, comprising the electrolyte, and the use of the fuel in the generation of electrical energy.

First claim

1 . A process for forming an electrolyte for a metal-supported solid-oxide fuel cell, the process comprising:
a. applying a doped-ceria green electrolyte to an anode layer; b. removing any solvents and organic matter from the green electrolyte; c. pressing the green electrolyte to increase green electrolyte density; and d. heating the green electrolyte at a rate of temperature increase of 5° C./minute to 20° C./minute from a temperature range of 800° C. to 1000° C. to form the electrolyte.

2 . The process according to claim 1 , further comprising: forming the doped-ceria green electrolyte from a screen-printable ink.

3 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the anode layer has been applied to a metal substrate.

4 . The process according to claim 3 , wherein the metal substrate comprises a perforated region surrounded by a non-perforated region.

5 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein removing any solvents and organic matter from the green electrolyte comprises evaporating the solvents.

6 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein removing any solvents and organic matter comprises heating the green electrolyte to a temperature in the range of 250° C. to 500° C. until the organic matter has decomposed.

7 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the anode layer is a sintered anode layer.

8 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the anode layer is a green anode layer and the green anode layer and green electrolyte are sintered in a single firing step.

9 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the green electrolyte comprises multiple layers of electrolyte formed by applying the doped-ceria electrolyte in layers over the anode layer, with drying between the application of each layer.

10 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein pressing of the green electrolyte comprises application of a pressure in the range of 50 MPa to 500 MPa.

11 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte covers the anode layer and the metal support.

12 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein heating the green electrolyte is performed to a sintering temperature that is less than 1100° C.

13 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the heating the green electrolyte is performed in air.

14 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein pressing is achieved using cold isostatic pressing or uniaxial bladder pressing.

15 . A process for forming a fuel cell comprising:
forming an electrolyte on a metal-supported anode layer using the process of claim 1 ; and applying a cathode material to the electrolyte.

16 . A fuel cell comprising an electrolyte obtained by the process according to claim 1 .

17 . A fuel cell stack comprising at least two fuel cells according to claim 16 .

Assignees

• Ceres Ip Co Ltd

Inventors

• Leah Robert
• Bone Adam
• Matthews Carl
• Lankin Mike
• Rahman Mahfujur

Classifications

• H01M8/126 Primary

  the electrolyte containing cerium oxide · CPC title

• H01M2300/0094

  in the form of layered products, e.g. coatings · CPC title

• H01M8/1286

  Fuel cells applied on a support, e.g. miniature fuel cells deposited on silica supports · CPC title

• H01M2300/0074

  Ion conductive at high temperature · CPC title

• H01M8/1213 Primary

  characterised by the electrode/electrolyte combination or the supporting material · CPC title