System and Method for Fuel Cell Material X-Ray Analysis
AssigneeXradia, Inc.
InventorsYuxin Wang, Wenbing Yun
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An imaging technology for fuel cells is based on x-ray microscopy. A metrology system images the electrochemical interaction areas of solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFC) in-situ. This system takes advantage of both the penetrating power and elemental absorption contrast of hard x-ray radiation to image the internal interaction areas in a SOFC. The technology can further take advantage of the strong dependence of the x-ray absorption on material type and energy to distinguish the four major material types: cathode, electrolyte, air, and low-Z contaminants such as sulfur.
Claims14
A system for imaging structures of fuel cells, comprising:
- an x-ray source for generating x rays;
- a sample stage for holding fuel cell material;
- an x-ray objective lens for collecting and focusing the x-rays passing through the fuel cell material;
- and
- a detector for detecting the x-rays from the x-ray lens.
A system claimed in 1, wherein the fuel cell material is mounted on a rotation stage to facilitate tomographic data acquisition.
A system claimed in 2, where fuel cell material is rotated by the rotation stage to acquire images at different rotation angles to obtain projection images needed for tomography data reconstruction.
A system claimed in 1, wherein the x-ray source comprises an electron source for generating an electron beam directed at a metal anode target, the electron beam generating x-rays in the metal layer.
A system claimed in 4, wherein the anode comprises copper.
A system claimed in 4, wherein the anode comprises molybdenum.
A system claimed in 4, wherein the source is a source system comprising two or more different targets for generating x-rays at different energy levels.
A system claimed in 7, wherein one of the targets is copper and another is molybdenum.
A system claimed in 1, further comprising a chamber for containing the fuel cell material and fluids or gases enabling the fuel cell material to operate to convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy.
A system claimed in 9, wherein the chamber comprises one or more window structures through which the x-ray pass to access a region of interest of the fuel cell material.
A method for imaging fuel cells, comprising:
- generating x rays;
- holding fuel cell material, which is converting chemical energy directly into electrical energy;
- collecting and focusing the x-rays passing through the fuel cell material;
- and
- detecting the collected and focused x-rays.
A method claimed in 11, further comprising rotating the fuel cell material while acquiring images at different rotation angles to obtain projection images for tomography data reconstruction.
A method claimed in 11, further comprising providing one or more windows structures through which the x-ray pass to access a region of interest of the fuel cell material.
A method claimed in 13, further comprising rotating the fuel cell material while acquiring images at different rotation angles while the fuel cell material is converting chemical energy directly into electrical energy to obtain projection images for tomography data reconstruction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.