This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 099147066, filed Dec. 31, 2010, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a ceramic plate with reflective film, more particularly to a ceramic plate with high infrared reflectivity for improving the performance of fuel cells.
2. Description of the Prior Art
SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) uses coal gas or natural gas as its fuel and solid non-porous metal oxide, such as immobilization zirconium oxide (ZrO2), as its electrolyte. Electric power produces by ion transmitting from oxygen ions shuttling within crystals and the operation temperature reaches up to 800 to 1000 degree centigrade. SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) provides high operation temperature and high electrode reacting rate for achieving high electric power generating efficiency without using precious metal as catalyst. Moreover, SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) resets internal fuels by itself high temperature for simplifying the whole system. However, the material selection of electrode plates, bipolar plates and sealing materials are restricted by the high temperature operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,462,208 provides a planar micro fuel processor used in chemical reaction apparatus of fuel cells. The reaction cavity of the chemical reaction apparatus possesses a Dewar wall made from ceramic or metal. The Dewar wall further comprises a radiation preventing film. The radiation preventing film is a metal film, which is made of Au, Al or Ag, or a metal oxide film, which is made of Tin oxide (SnO2), Indium oxide (In2O3) or Zinc oxide (ZNO). The radiation preventing film is used for reducing heat dissipating or heat radiating passing through the Dewar wall. However, the patent abovementioned neither discloses the relationship between the reflection range of infrared wavelength and associated reflection rate, nor the stability of the radiation preventing film in high temperature environment.
U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 2008/0171245 discloses a heat radiation preventing film, reaction device, fuel cell device, electronic equipment, heat reflecting film and heat insulating container. The patent provides a reaction device used in fuel cells. The reaction device comprises a reaction device main body, an adhesion layer formed on a surface of the reaction device main body and a surface layer formed on a surface of the adhesion layer. The adhesion layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo), and the surface layer includes Au. Although the patent aforementioned discloses that the surface layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu or Ru, but Au and Ag are the better material choice due to Au and Ag possess higher reflection rate toward waves with wavelengths greater than 1 μm. However, the description of the patent application above further describes that the material of the surface layer of fuel cells' reaction main body has to be Au for restraining heat dissipating in 600 to 800 degree centigrade environment due to Ag in the surface layer will be vaporized at 600 degree centigrade. Therefore, heat radiation preventing film made of Ag is not suitable for use in fuel cells which are operated at high temperature.
U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 2009/0246576 provides a reaction device an electronic equipment. The patent provides a reaction device used in fuel cells. The reaction device comprises a reaction device body and a container. A material of a reflective film disposed on inner surface of the container is selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu and Ru. The reflective film made of Au, Al, Ag or Cu possesses infrared reflectivity higher than 90% with wavelengths greater than 1 μM. However, the patent aforementioned does not disclose the stability of the reflective film in high temperature environment.
Although the prior art disclosed different reflective films of fuel cells, there still exist many problems to increase the efficiency of fuel cells, e.g. the infrared reflectivity and stability. The infrared reflectivity will be improved by increase the reflect ability of the reflective film, in order to increase the reflect ability of the reflective film, needs to increase the metal crystal size because the larger metal crystal have greater reflectivity of the light, e.g. infrared reflectivity.
According to the problems with the prior art, the present invention provides a ceramic plate with reflective film and method of manufacturing the same for improving the infrared reflection rate of the ceramic plate and improve the stability of the ceramic plate operating in high temperature environment by increasing sintering degree and times for controlling the diameter of metal crystals of the reflective film.
One method to manufacture a ceramic plate with reflective film that has the benefits previously described may include annealing and crystallization of the reflective film to achieve a predetermined metal crystal size (usually called “grain boundary,” “crystallite boundary,” “grain size,” or “crystallite size”) and decreasing the defects (e.g. hole, seam or chink) between metal crystals. Achieving the metal crystal size and decreasing the defects improve the infrared reflectivity of the ceramic plate.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a ceramic plate with reflective film.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a ceramic plate with reflective film, wherein the reflective film at least comprises a glass layer and a metal film with metal crystals.
Another yet objective of the present invention is to provide a ceramic plate with reflective film, further comprising an Au film disposed on the surface of the reflective film.
Another yet objective of the present invention is to provide a ceramic plate with reflective film, wherein the metal film of the reflective film possesses metal crystals with a particular diameter.
Another yet objective of the present invention is to provide a ceramic plate with reflective film, wherein the ceramic plate is used for reflecting infrared with particular wavelengths.
Another yet objective of the present invention is to provide a ceramic plate with reflective film, wherein the ceramic plate possesses high infrared reflectivity with particular wavelengths.
Another yet objective of the present invention is to provide a ceramic plate with reflective film, wherein the ceramic plate possesses high stable temperature.
For achieving above objectives, the present invention is to provide a ceramic plate with reflective film, comprising: a ceramic substrate for constructing main body of the ceramic plate; a reflective film, including at least a glass layer and a metal film with metal crystals; wherein the glass layer is between the ceramic substrate and the metal film with metal crystals.
According to the ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the material of the ceramic substrate is aluminum oxide.
According to the ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the material of the metal film of the reflective film is selected from the group consisting of Au and Ag.
According to the ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the material of the glass layer of the reflective film is selected from the glass group consisting of PbO, SiO2, CaO, Al2O3, Bi2O3, BaO, SrO, B2O3, MgO, ZrO, Fe2O3, MnO, CuO, CoO, Na2O, P2O5, ZnO, GeO2 and combination the same.
According to the ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the metal film of the reflective film possesses metal crystals with diameter range from 4μm to 15 μm.
According to the ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the ceramic plate is used for reflecting infrared with wavelengths greater than 1 μm.
According to the ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the infrared reflectivity of the ceramic plate at least 90%.
According to the ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the stable temperature is at least 600 degree centigrade.
According to the ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, further comprises an Au film formed on the metal film.
Another embodiment of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film, the method comprising following steps: (a) providing a ceramic substrate; (b) providing a reflective film material on the ceramic substrate; (c) pre-baking the ceramic substrate with the reflective film material with a pre-baking temperature; (d) sintering the ceramic substrate with the reflective film material with a sintering temperature; (e) annealing for forming a ceramic plate with reflective film.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, further comprises a measuring and determining step (f) after step (e) for measuring the metal crystals diameters of the metal film of the reflective film; wherein if the metal crystals diameters of the metal film of the reflective film are out of a predetermined range, it repeats step (d), step (e) and step (f) till the metal crystals diameters of the metal film of the reflective film match the predetermined range.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, further comprises an Au film formed on the metal film of the ceramic plate with reflective film.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the Au film formed on the ceramic substrate by sputtering, electroplating, smearing or pasting.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the pre-baking temperature is at least 100 degree centigrade.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the pre-baking period is at least 10 minutes.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the sintering temperature is at least 850 degree centigrade.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the predetermined range of metal crystals diameters of the metal film of the reflective film is from 4μm to 15 μm.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the ceramic plate is used for reflecting infrared with wavelengths greater than 1 μm.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the infrared reflectivity of the ceramic plate at least 90%.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the stable temperature is at least 600 degree centigrade.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, further comprises an Au film formed on the metal film.
Another yet embodiment of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film, the method comprising following steps: (a) providing a ceramic substrate; (b) providing a reflective film material on the ceramic substrate; (c) pre-baking the ceramic substrate with the reflective film material with a pre-baking temperature; (d) sintering the ceramic substrate with the reflective film material with a gradient sintering temperature; (e) annealing for forming a ceramic plate with reflective film.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, further comprises an Au film formed on the metal film of the ceramic plate with reflective film.
According to the method of manufacturing a ceramic plate with reflective film aforementioned, wherein the Au film is formed on the ceramic substrate by sputtering, electroplating, smearing or pasting.
Other and further features, advantages and benefits of the invention will become apparent in the following description taken in conjunction with the following drawings. It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory but are not to be restrictive of the invention. The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention in general terms. Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the disclosure.
The objects, spirits, and advantages of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be readily understood by the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptions, wherein:
a) to
a) to
Referring to
Referring to
After putting the ceramic plate with reflective film into the sintering cavity, raising the temperature in the sintering cavity rapidly from room temperature to 100 degree centigrade at section 3A, and kept heating to 300 degree centigrade. Section 3B, raising the sintering cavity temperature from 300 to 500 degree centigrade stably with the rate of 50 degree centigrade per minute. Section 3C follows section 3B, raising the sintering cavity temperature to 930 degree centigrade. Section 3D, maintain the temperature (930 degree centigrade) for 10 minutes at section 3D, the ceramic plate with reflective film sintering at a high temperature such as 930 degree centigrade. Section 3E represents the section for annealing. After the 10 minutes annealing process, the temperature in the sintering cavity decrease to 700 degree centigrade. Section 3F follows section 3E for decreasing the temperature in the sintering cavity rapidly to 300 degree centigrade with the rate of 50 degree centigrade per minute. After the temperature in the sintering cavity decreased slowly to room temperature at section 3G, the sintering process is accomplished after the ceramic plate ejected from the sintering cavity.
a) to
As shown in
From the description above, the metal crystals size of the reflective film surface are getting larger following the times of the sintering process increase. As shown in
If the sintering temperature from the 850 degree centigrade raise to 930 degree centigrade, the sintering result of the metal crystals diameters of the reflective film surface of the ceramic plate are shown in
The results after the second, third and fourth sintering process with the sintering temperature of 930 degrees centigrade are shown in
a) to
The images of the ESL ceramic plate with reflective film after sintering one time with 850 degree centigrade, sintering four times with 850 degree centigrade, sintering one time with 930 degree centigrade and sintering four times with 930 degree centigrade are shown in
As the results shown in
Table 3 and Table 4 represent the 2 to 12 μm infrared reflectivity of the ceramic plate of the Heraeus ceramic plate and Ferro ceramic plate with reflective film. The Heraeus ceramic plate is provide an Heraeus reflective film (Heraeus Ag conductor product No. C8729) on the ceramic substrate and the Ferro ceramic plate is provide an Ferro reflective film material (Ferro Ag conductor product No. C3059) on the ceramic substrate. After sintering the Heraeus ceramic plate and the Ferro ceramic plate with different temperatures and times as shown in
According to the description of tables 2-4 raising the sintering temperature and sintering times of sintering process can increase the diameter of the metal crystals of the ceramic plate, and the infrared reflectivity increases with the increase in diameter of the metal crystals of the ceramic plate.
Although this invention has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, the principles involved are susceptible for use in numerous other embodiments that will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. This invention is, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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099147066 | Dec 2010 | TW | national |