# US 2015/0147677 A1 · FABRICATION OF SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS WITH A THIN (LA0.9SR0.1)0.98(GA0.8MG0.2)O3-delta ELECTROLYTE ON A SR0.8LA0.2TIO3 SUPPORT

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- Number: US 2015/0147677 A1
- Document ID: US20150147677A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/556,081
- Filed: 2014-11-28
- Published: 2015-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2013-11-27
- Assignees: Northwestern University
- Applicants: Northwestern University
- Inventors: Scott A. Barnett; Zhan Gao; Elizabeth C. Miller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150147677A1

## CPC

- H01M 4/8889: {Cosintering or cofiring of a catalytic active layer with another type of layer}
- B32B 18/00: Layered products essentially comprising ceramics, e.g. refractory products
- C04B 35/01: based on oxide ceramics
- H01M 8/1226: characterised by the supporting layer
- H01M 8/1246: the electrolyte consisting of oxides
- H01M 8/1286: Fuel cells applied on a support, e.g. miniature fuel cells deposited on silica supports
- C04B 2235/3206: Magnesium oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
- C04B 2235/3213: Strontium oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
- C04B 2235/3227: Lanthanum oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof
- C04B 2235/3286: Gallium oxides, gallates, indium oxides, indates, thallium oxides, thallates or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. zinc gallate
- C04B 2235/768: Perovskite structure ABO3
- C04B 2237/34: Oxidic
- C04B 2237/348: Zirconia, hafnia, zirconates or hafnates
- H01M 4/9033: {Complex oxides, optionally doped, of the type M1MeO3, M1 being an alkaline earth metal or a rare earth, Me being a metal, e.g. perovskites}
- H01M 2300/0074: Ion conductive at high temperature
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Methods and compositions for a low temperature operating solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) are provided. The SOFC includes a Sr0.8La0.2TiO3 (SLT) support layer, a (La0.9Sr0.1)0.98(Ga0.8Mg0.2)O3-δ (LSGM) electrolyte layer and□a cathode layer disposed on top of said electrolyte layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A low temperature operating solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), comprising:
a Sr0.8La0.2TiO3 (SLT) support layer;□
a (La0.9Sr0.1)0.98(Ga0.8Mg0.2)O3-δ (LSGM) electrolyte layer; and□
a cathode layer disposed on top of said electrolyte layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The SOFC of claim 1, wherein the LSGM electrolyte layer includes a
Ni—(La0.9Sr0.1)0.98Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ (Ni-LSGM) anode functional layer (AFL) disposed between the SLT support layer and LSGM electrolyte layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The SOFC of claim 1, wherein the SOFC comprises a performance attribute having a low cell Ohmic resistance of ≦0.1 Ωcm2.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The SOFC of claim 1, wherein the SOFC comprises a performance attribute of maintaining a low electrode polarization resistance ≦0.2 Ωcm2.

### Claim 5

A method of making a solid oxide fuel cell, comprising:
preparing an SLT powder via solid state reaction using SrCO3, La2O3, and TiO2 precursors to form a calcinated SLT product;□
dispersing the calcinated SLT powder with graphite and poly(vinylbutyral) (PVB) to form a homogeneous mixture;
drying the homogenous mixture to form a dried product;
pressing the dried product using a die; and
bisque firing the pressed product.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of creating an anode functional layer (AFL), comprising:
preparing a first colloidal solution comprising LSGM powder, ethanol, polyethylenimine (PEI), PVB and ethyl cellulose;□
preparing a second colloidal solution comprising the first colloidal solution and a colloidal pore former;□
dispersing the second colloidal solution;
coating said colloidal solution onto one side of the bisque fired SLT pellet to form a porous functional layer; and
firing the porous functional layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of creating an electrolyte layer, comprising:
preparing a dispersed colloidal solution comprising LSGM powder, ethanol, polyethylenimine (PEI), PVB and ethyl cellulose;□
coating the dispersed colloidal solution onto one side of the bisque fired SLT pellet to
form an electrolyte layer; and□
co-firing the resulting SLT/LSGM structures.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of creating a cathode layer, comprising:
printing a 50 wt. % La0.3Sr0.4Fe0.8Co0.2O3 (LSCF)/50 wt. % Ce0.9Gd0.1O2 (GDC) cathode functional layer ink onto the electrolyte layer;□
printing of a pure LSCF cathode current collector ink; and
firing the resulting layers.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein dispersing comprising ball milling.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps:
infiltrating an electro-catalytic metal into the SLT support and LSGM functional layer to form an electro-catalytic metal-infiltrated structure;□and
calcining the electro-catalytic metal-infiltrated structure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the electro-catalytic metal comprises Ni.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein infiltrating Ni performing multiple infiltration cycles.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, where an electro-catalytic metal comprises a metal other than Ni.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A method of making the solid oxide fuel cell of claim 1, comprising:
preparing an SLT powder product via solid state reaction using SrCO3, La2O3, and TiO2;□
dispersing a mixture comprising the SLT powder product, graphite, a solvent carrier, a solvent and a dispersant;
forming a first slurry comprising the mixture, a binder and a plasticizer;
tape-casting the first slurry;
dispersing a mixture comprising the LSGM, graphite, a solvent carrier, a solvent and a dispersant;
forming a second slurry comprising the mixture, a binder and a plasticizer;
tape-casting the second slurry;
laminating the first slurry and second slurry together to produce the final ceramic□structure; and
forming a cathode layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the laminating comprises:
heating the first and second slurries together at a first temperature; and
co-firing the first and second slurries together at a second temperature.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the binder comprises poly(vinylbutyral) and the plasticizer comprises butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) and polyalkylene glycol (PAG).

### Claim 17

A low temperature operating solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), comprising:
a Sr0.8La0.2TiO3 (SLT) support layer;□
a (La0.9Sr0.1)0.98(Ga0.8Mg0.2)O3-δ (LSGM) electrolyte layer; and□
a cathode layer disposed on top of said electrolyte layer,
wherein the SLT support layer and LSGM electrolyte layer comprise a laminated, tape-casted ceramic structure.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The low temperature operating solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) of claim 17, wherein the low temperature operating SOFC comprises a composition comprising H2O in the range from about 15 wt. % to about 55 wt. %; CH4 in the range from about 0 wt. % to about 15 wt. %; CO2 from about 3 wt. % to about 15 wt. %; H2 from about 30 wt. % to about 70 wt. %; and CO from about 1.5 wt. % to about 10 wt. %.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The low temperature operating solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) of claim 18, wherein the low temperature operating SOFC comprises a composition selected from formulations 1-5:
Formulation
H2O
CH4
CO2
H2
CO
1
53 wt. %
N/A
13 wt. %
30 wt. %
4 wt. %
2
53 wt. %
N/A
14 wt. %
30 wt. %
3 wt. %
3
54 wt. %
1 wt. %
14 wt. %
29 wt. %
2 wt. %
4
15 wt. %
6 wt. %
4 wt. %
67 wt. %
9 wt. %
5
20 wt. %
11 wt. %
4 wt. %
60 wt. %
5 wt. %

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The low temperature operating solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) of claim 18, wherein the SOFC operates at a temperature in the range from about 550° C. to about 650° C.