Sofc including redox-tolerant anode electrode and method of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025210679-A1
Application number	US-202519076252-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 11, 2025
Priority date	Aug 28, 2017
Publication date	Jun 26, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOPC) includes a solid oxide electrolyte, an anode disposed on a first side of the electrolyte and a cathode disposed on an opposing second side of the electrolyte. The anode includes a ceramic phase and a metallic phase including a Ni catalyst and a dopant including Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mo, Re, Rh, Ru, Sr, W, or any combination thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), comprising:
a solid oxide electrolyte; an anode disposed on a first side of the electrolyte and comprising:
a ceramic phase; and
a metallic phase comprising an alloy of Ni and a dopant comprising Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mo, Re, Rh, Ru, Sr, W, or any combination thereof; and
a cathode disposed on an opposing second side of the electrolyte, wherein the metallic phase comprises:
an average grain size ranging from about 100 nanometers (nm) to about 400 nm;
from about 2 to about 4 at % of the dopant; and
from about 98 to about 96 at % of the Ni.

2 . The SOFC of claim 1 , wherein the solid oxide electrolyte comprises ytterbia-ceria-scandia-stabilized zirconia (YCSSZ).

3 . The SOFC of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic phase comprises gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC), samaria-doped ceria (SDC), ytterbia-doped ceria (YDC), scandia-stabilized zirconia (SSZ), ytterbia-ceria-scandia-stabilized zirconia (YCSSZ), or any combination thereof.

4 . The SOFC of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises:
a first layer comprising the ceramic phase and a metallic phase comprising the Ni; and a second layer comprising a metallic phase comprising the Ni and the dopant comprising Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mo, Re, Rh, Ru, Sr, W, or any combination thereof.

5 . The SOFC of claim 4 , wherein:
the first layer comprises from about 70 to about 90 wt % of the ceramic phase, and from about 10 to about 30 wt % of the metallic phase, based on the total weight of the first layer; and the second layer comprises from about 15 to about 35 wt % of the ceramic phase, and from about 65 to about 85 wt % of the metallic phase, based on the total weight of the second layer.

6 . The SOFC of claim 4 , wherein the metallic phase of the first layer further comprises a dopant comprising Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mo, Re, Rh, Ru, Sr, W, or any combination thereof.

7 . The SOFC of claim 4 , wherein the ceramic phases of the first and second layers are independently selected from gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC), samaria-doped ceria (SDC), ytterbia-doped ceria (YDC), scandia-stabilized zirconia (SSZ), ytterbia-ceria-scandia-stabilized zirconia (YCSSZ), or any combination thereof.

8 . The SOFC of claim 1 , wherein the dopant comprises the Ba.

9 . The SOFC of claim 1 , wherein the dopant comprises the Ca.

10 . The SOFC of claim 1 , wherein the dopant comprises the Sr.

11 . The SOFC of claim 1 , wherein the dopant comprises at least one of the Ba, Ca or Sr in combination with at least one of the Al, Cr, Fe, Mo, Re, Rh, Ru, or W.

12 . A SOFC stack comprising:
SOFCs of claim 1 ; and interconnects disposed between the SOFCs.

13 . A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), comprising:
a solid oxide electrolyte; an anode disposed on a first side of the electrolyte and comprising:
a ceramic phase; and
a metallic phase comprising an alloy of Ni and a dopant comprising oxides of Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mo, Re, Rh, Ru, Sr, W, or any combination thereof, the metallic phase having an average grain size ranging from about 100 nanometers (nm) to about 400 nm; and
a cathode disposed on an opposing second side of the electrolyte.

14 . The SOFC of claim 13 , wherein the solid oxide electrolyte comprises ytterbia-ceria-scandia-stabilized zirconia (YCSSZ).

15 . The SOFC of claim 13 , wherein the ceramic phase comprises gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC), samaria-doped ceria (SDC), ytterbia-doped ceria (YDC), scandia-stabilized zirconia (SSZ), ytterbia-ceria-scandia-stabilized zirconia (YCSSZ), or any combination thereof.

16 . The SOFC of claim 13 , wherein the anode comprises:
a first layer comprising the ceramic phase and a metallic phase comprising the Ni; and a second layer comprising a metallic phase comprising the Ni and the dopant comprising oxides of Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mo, Re, Rh, Ru, Sr, W, or any combination thereof.

17 . The SOFC of claim 15 , wherein:
the first layer comprises from about 70 to about 90 wt % of the ceramic phase, and from about 10 to about 30 wt % of the metallic phase, based on the total weight of the first layer; and the second layer comprises from about 15 to about 35 wt % of the ceramic phase, and from about 65 to about 85 wt % of the metallic phase, based on the total weight of the second layer.

18 . The SOFC of claim 15 , wherein the metallic phase of the first layer further comprises a dopant comprising oxides of Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mo, Re, Rh, Ru, Sr, W, or any combination thereof.

19 . The SOFC of claim 15 , wherein the ceramic phases of the first and second layers are independently selected from gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC), samaria-doped ceria (SDC), ytterbia-doped ceria (YDC), scandia-stabilized zirconia (SSZ), ytterbia-ceria-scandia-stabilized zirconia (YCSSZ), or any combination thereof.

20 . A SOFC stack comprising:
SOFCs of claim 13 ; and interconnects disposed between the SOFCs.

Assignees

• Bloom Energy Corp

Inventors

• Leming Andres
• El Batawi Emad

Classifications

• H01M8/0202

  Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors · CPC title

• H01M4/8885

  Sintering or firing · CPC title

• H01M4/8842

  Coating using a catalyst salt precursor in solution followed by evaporation and reduction of the precursor · CPC title

• H01M2008/1293

  Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M4/9066

  of metal-ceramic composites or mixtures, e.g. cermets · CPC title