Two layer electrolyte supported fuel cell stack

A stack of electrolyte-supported electrochemical cells, comprising:

• at least two electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell comprising
• a self-supporting thin-film sintered ceramic membrane having
• a thin layer of a sintered ceramic electrolyte material, and
• a thicker layer of a sintered ceramic electrolyte material adjacent to and supporting the thin layer of ceramic electrolyte material, the thicker layer of ceramic electrolyte material comprising a network of interconnected support ribs separating a plurality of voids that extend through the thicker layer of ceramic electrolyte material, the network of interconnected support ribs centrally located to define an integral central mesh portion,
• wherein the thickness of the thin layer is 25 to 50 microns, and each of the thin and thicker layers extends outwardly beyond the central mesh portion to define a dense sealing perimeter around the central mesh portion, the sealing perimeter having the combined thickness of the thin and thicker layers;
• an anode material applied to a surface of the ceramic membrane, and
• a cathode material applied to the opposing surface of the ceramic membrane;
• one or more dense electronically conductive plates, wherein one of said plates is sealed between and to the dense sealing perimeters of the ceramic membranes of adjacent electrochemical cells.