Fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021057763-A1
Application number	US-201917051826-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 25, 2019
Priority date	May 1, 2018
Publication date	Feb 25, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell includes a cell structure, an oxidizing agent flow path, a fuel flow path, and an anode-side current collector. The cell structure includes a cathode, an anode, and a solid electrolyte layer disposed between the cathode and the anode. The oxidizing agent flow path is formed adjacent to the cathode and away from the solid electrolyte layer. The oxidizing agent flow path is a flow path for supplying a gas that contains an oxidizing agent to the cathode. The fuel flow path is formed adjacent to the anode and away from the solid electrolyte layer. The fuel flow path is a flow path for supplying a fuel gas that contains water vapor and a hydrocarbon to the anode. The anode-side current collector is disposed adjacent to the anode and away from the solid electrolyte layer. The anode-side current collector is in contact with the anode.

First claim

1 . A fuel cell comprising:
a cell structure including a cathode, an anode, and a solid electrolyte layer disposed between the cathode and the anode; an oxidizing agent flow path formed adjacent to the cathode and away from the solid electrolyte layer, the oxidizing agent flow path being a flow path for supplying a gas that contains an oxidizing agent to the cathode; a fuel flow path formed adjacent to the anode and away from the solid electrolyte layer, the fuel flow path being a flow path for supplying a fuel gas that contains water vapor and a hydrocarbon to the anode; and an anode-side current collector disposed adjacent to the anode and away from the solid electrolyte layer, the anode-side current collector being in contact with the anode, wherein the anode-side current collector is a porous metal body having a three-dimensional network structure in which a framework is integrally continuous, the framework includes an outer shell and a core portion, the core portion being hollow, including a conductive material, or being hollow and including a conductive material, and at least an outer layer in the outer shell includes an alloy layer or a Cu-containing copper layer, the alloy layer containing a first metal and a second metal with the first metal being Ni.

2 . The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the alloy layer is included in at least the outer layer in the outer shell, and the second metal contains Sn.

3 . The fuel cell according to claim 2 , wherein a first phase and a second phase that have different respective Sn concentrations with respect to Ni coexist in the alloy layer.

4 . The fuel cell according to claim 3 , wherein
the Sn concentration of the first phase is greater than the Sn concentration of the second phase, in the first phase, Ni and Sn are present in a form of an intermetallic compound, and in the alloy layer, Sn is present in an amount of 4 mass % or greater and 15 mass % or less relative to a total amount of Ni and Sn.

5 . The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the porous metal body has a porosity of 90% or greater and 98% or less.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Electric Industries

Inventors

• Hiraiwa Chihiro
• Higashino Takahiro
• Majima Masatoshi
• Tawarayama Hiromasa
• Ogawa Mitsuyasu

Classifications

• H01M8/0637 Primary

  Direct internal reforming at the anode of the fuel cell · CPC title

• H01M8/0232 Primary

  Metals or alloys · CPC title

• H01M8/12

  operating at high temperature, e.g. with stabilised ZrO2 electrolyte · CPC title

• H01M8/0245

  in the form of layered or coated products · CPC title

• H01M2008/1293

  Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes · CPC title