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US 5,905,000 AGranted
Nanostructured ion conducting solid electrolytes
AssigneeNanomaterials Research Corporation
InventorsTapesh Yadav, Hongxing Hu
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AssigneeNanomaterials Research Corporation
InventorsTapesh Yadav, Hongxing Hu
Estimating the term…
Ion conducting solid electrolytes are constructed from nanoscale precursor material. Nanocrystalline powders are pressed into disc structures and sintered to the appropriate degree of densification. Metallic material is mixed with 0 to 65 vol % nanostructured electrolyte powders to form a cermet mix and then coated on each side of the disc and fitted with electrical leads. The electrical conductivity of a Ag/YSZ/Ag cell so assembled exhibited about an order of magnitude enhancement in oxygen ion conductivity. As an oxygen-sensing element in a standard O.sub.2 /Ag/YSZ/Ag/N.sub.2 set up, the nanocrystalline YSZ element exhibited commercially significant oxygen ion conductivity at low temperatures. The invention can be utilized to prepare nanostructured ion conducting solid electrolytes for a wide range of applications, including sensors, oxygen pumps, fuel cells, batteries, electrosynthesis reactors and catalytic membranes.
A nanostructured electrolytic structure, prepared by:
A nanostructured solid electrode, prepared by:
A nanostructured electrolytic cell for electrochemical, electrocatalytic, or electrosynthesis applications, comprising:
A nanostructured solid electrolyte, prepared by:
A nanostructured solid electrolyte, comprising yttria stabilized zirconia and having an oxygen ion conductivity of at least 5.times.10.sup.-4 (.OMEGA.-cm).sup.-1 at a temperature of less than or equal to 600.degree. C.
A nanostructured solid electrolyte, comprising yttria stabilized bismuth oxide and having an oxygen ion conductivity of at least 5.times.10.sup.-2 (.OMEGA.-cm).sup.-1 at a temperature of less than or equal to 600.degree. C.
An electrolytic cell, comprising an electrolyte and an electrode, the electrolyte comprising yttria stabilized bismuth oxide and the electrode comprising yttria stabilized bismuth oxide and silver, wherein the cell has an impedance having a maximum imaginary component of less than or equal to 2 ohms at 475.degree. C. in air, and at least one of the electrolyte and electrode is nanostructured.
An electrolytic cell, comprising an electrolyte and an electrode, the electrolyte comprising yttria stabilized bismuth oxide and the electrode comprising yttria stabilized bismuth oxide and silver, wherein the electrode has a resistance no greater than 0.5 ohms at 625.degree. C., and the electrode is nanostructured.
A nanostructured sintered electrolyte, comprising a ceramic ion-conducting material having an average grain size of less than about 100 nm, wherein the ceramic ion-conducting material is free of tetravalent metal.
A nanostructured sintered electrolyte, comprising a ceramic ion-conducting material having an average grain size of less than about 100 nm, wherein the ceramic ion-conducting material conducts an ion other than oxygen.
A nanocomposite electrode, produced by sintering particles of a conductor and nanoscale particles of another material, wherein the resistance of the nanocomposite electrode is less than or equal to about a fourth of the resistance of an electrode composed purely of the conductor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.