17
Amorphous,
Non-Oxide Seals, Derived from Organic Precursors, for Solid Oxide Fuel
Cells--Ceramatec,
Inc., 2425 South 900 West, Salt Lake City, UT
84119; 801-978-2152
Dr.
C. A. Lewissohn, Principal Investigator, clewinsohn@ceramatec.com
Dr.
Michael A. Keene, Business Official, mkeene@ceramatec.com
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG03-02ER83385
Amount:
$97,026
Despite extensive
international efforts, several key issues hinder the widespread use of solid
oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology. One
of the limitations of current SOFC designs is the method of sealing the
components together to make an impermeable, mechanically reliable assembly.
This project will develop a seal for planar SOFC that will meet, or
exceed, performance requirements and improve the reliability of SOFC systems.
Phase I will demonstrate the
feasibility of using amorphous, non-oxide seals, derived from organic
precursors, to produce seals for SOFC. In
particular, Phase I will evaluate: (1) the adhesion between precursor derived
materials and SOFC materials, (2) methods of controlling the thermo-mechanical
properties of precursor-derived seal materials via composite approaches, and (3)
the long-term stability of precursor-derived materials in environments
representative of SOFC service conditions. Phase
II will optimize processing methods and compositions, including a determination
of the thermomechanical properties of relevant seal materials and an analysis of
structural loads applied to cell components.
Commercial
Applications and Other Benefits
as described by the awardee: In
addition to the seal for planar SOFCs, other potential
applications include high-temperature seals for other SOFC configurations,
microelectronic process equipment, ceramic devices such as ion-transport
membranes, high-temperature sensors, ceramic heat-exchangers, and other ceramic
devices for use at high temperatures.