Method of fabricating composite cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells by infiltration

• Main Authors: ARMSTONG TAD J, VIRKAR ANIL V
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.10.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION ORPROCESSING OF GOODS; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PROCESSES FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TOSURFACES, IN GENERAL; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TRANSPORTING

In the manufacture of a composite cathode, a porous structure is made of the electrolyte material by sintering a mixed material of primary material of the electrolyte and a secondary material. The mixture is treated to sinter the primary material. The secondary material is removed. The secondary material during sintering inhibits porosity loss and grain growth in the primary material while enabling formation of good necks for interparticle contact. The porous structure is then infiltrated with a liquid that contains precursors of an electrocatalytically active material. The infiltrated structure is then heated to convert the precursors to an electrocatalytically active material.