Loading patent…
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsAlan F. Jankowski, Daniel M. Makowiecki, Glenn D. Rambach, Erik Randich
Estimating the term…
The use of vapor deposition techniques enables synthesis of the basic components of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC); namely, the electrolyte layer, the two electrodes, and the electrolyte-electrode interfaces. Such vapor deposition techniques provide solutions to each of the three critical steps of material synthesis to produce a thin film solid oxide fuel cell (TFSOFC). The electrolyte is formed by reactive deposition of essentially any ion conducting oxide, such as defect free, yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) by planar magnetron sputtering. The electrodes are formed from ceramic powders sputter coated with an appropriate metal and sintered to a porous compact. The electrolyte-electrode interface is formed by chemical vapor deposition of zirconia compounds onto the porous electrodes to provide a dense, smooth surface on which to continue the growth of the defect-free electrolyte, whereby a single fuel cell or multiple cells may be fabricated.
A solid oxide fuel cell comprising:
The fuel cell of claim 2, wherein the electrolyte-electrode interfaces are formed in a 1-2 .mu.m thick region of the surface of said electrodes.
A method for producing solid oxide fuel cells using continuous deposition, comprising:
A solid oxide fuel cell produced by a continuous deposition process, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.