Three dimensional extrusion printed electrochemical devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018019493-A1
Application number	US-201615212534-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 18, 2016
Priority date	Jul 18, 2016
Publication date	Jan 18, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Solid oxide electrochemical devices, methods for making the electrochemical devices, and methods of using the electrochemical devices are provided. The electrochemical devices comprise a plurality of stacked functional layers that are formed by a combination of three-dimensional (3D) extrusion printing and two-dimensional (2D) casting techniques.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of making a solid oxide electrochemical device, the method comprising:
casting an ionically conducting electrolyte film comprising an oxide ceramic; casting an anode transition film comprising a composite of the oxide ceramic and a first additional ceramic; casting a cathode transition film comprising a composite of the oxide ceramic and a second additional ceramic; 3D extrusion printing a three-dimensional anode comprising a central portion comprising a plurality of spaced-apart, parallel fibers, the fibers comprising the first additional ceramic, and a peripheral portion forming an annulus around the central portion and comprising a plurality of fibers running directly alongside one another, the fibers in the peripheral portion comprising an insulating ceramic; 3D extrusion printing a three-dimensional cathode comprising a central portion comprising a plurality of spaced-apart, parallel fibers, the fibers comprising the second additional ceramic, and a peripheral portion forming an annulus around the central portion and comprising a plurality of fibers running directly alongside one another, the fibers in the peripheral portion comprising an insulating ceramic; forming a cell structure comprising, from a first end to a second end, the cathode, the cathode transition film, the electrolyte film, the anode transition film, and the anode; bonding together the cathode, the cathode transition film, the electrolyte film, the anode transition film, and the anode to form a green body cell; and co-sintering the green body cell.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spaced-apart, parallel fibers in the anode are oriented perpendicular with respect to the spaced-apart, parallel fibers in the cathode.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein casting the ionically conducting electrolyte film, casting the anode transition film, and casting the cathode transition film comprises casting each film by tape casting, dip coating, or a combination thereof.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein bonding together the cathode, the cathode transition film, the electrolyte film, the anode transition film, and the anode in the cell structure comprises hot press laminating the cathode, the cathode transition film, the electrolyte film, the anode transition film, and the anode in the cell structure.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein bonding together the cathode, the cathode transition film, the electrolyte film, the anode transition film, and the anode in the cell structure comprises solvent laminating the cathode, the cathode transition film, the electrolyte film, the anode transition film, and the anode in the cell structure.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
casting an anode support film having the same composition as the spaced-apart, parallel fibers of the anode; casting a cathode support film having the same composition as the spaced-apart, parallel fibers of the cathode; and prior to bonding together the cathode, the cathode transition film, the electrolyte film, the anode transition film, and the anode in the cell structure, disposing the cathode support film between the cathode and the cathode transition film in the cell structure and disposing the anode support film between the anode and the anode transition film in the cell structure.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxide ceramic is YSZ, the first additional ceramic is LSM, the second additional ceramic is NiO, and the insulating ceramic is YSZ.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the spaced-apart, parallel fibers of the cathode further comprise particles of a sacrificial material prior to co-sintering, wherein the particles of sacrificial material vaporize during co-sintering to form pores in the fibers.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising depositing a sacrificial spacer material between the plurality of spaced-apart, parallel fibers of the cathode and between the plurality of spaced-apart, parallel fibers of the anode, before the anode and cathode are bonded into the cell structure, wherein the sacrificial spacer material vaporizes during the co-sintering of the bonded cell structure.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the sacrificial spacer material is graphene.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode and cathode each have a thickness of no greater than 500 μm, the electrolyte film, the cathode transition film, and the anode transition film each have a thickness of no greater than 200 μm, and the sintered cell structure has a thickness of no greater than 1600 μm.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the co-sintering is carried out at a temperature of no greater than 1300° C.

13 . A method of making a solid oxide electrochemical device, the method comprising:
3D extrusion printing an ionically conducting electrolyte layer comprising an oxide ceramic; 3D extrusion printing a three-dimensional anode comprising a central portion comprising a plurality of spaced-apart, parallel fibers, the fibers comprising an oxide ceramic, and a peripheral portion forming an annulus around the central portion and comprising a plurality of fibers running directly alongside one another, the fibers in the peripheral portion comprising an insulating ceramic; 3D extrusion printing a three-dimensional cathode comprising a central portion comprising a plurality of spaced-apart, parallel fibers, the fibers comprising an oxide ceramic, and a peripheral portion forming an annulus around the central portion and comprising a plurality of fibers running directly alongside one another, the fibers in the peripheral portion comprising an insulating ceramic; forming a cell structure comprising, from a first end to a second end, the cathode, the electrolyte layer, and the anode; bonding the cathode, the electrolyte layer, and the anode together in a green body cell; and co-sintering the green body cell.

Assignees

• Univ Northwestern

Inventors

• Jakus Adam E
• Shah Ramille N
• Geisendorfer Nicholas R
• Barnett Scott A
• Gao Zhan

Classifications

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• C25B9/08

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• B33Y40/00

  Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling · CPC title

• H01M8/124 Primary

  characterised by the process of manufacturing or by the material of the electrolyte · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title