Claims
- 1. A matrix for carrying a carbonate electrolyte comprising a support material and an additive constituent having a low melting point and high thermal coefficient of expansion, said additive constituent being present in the amount of 3 to 45 volume percent of said matrix and having been formed from raw particles whose diameter is in a range of 0.1 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m and whose aspect ratio is in the range of 1 to 50, said additive material having been formed from one or more of raw particles of Al, raw particles of Li.sub.2 CO.sub.3 and raw particles of Li-containing precursors.
- 2. The matrix of claim 1 wherein:
- said support material is a ceramic.
- 3. The matrix of claim 2 wherein:
- said ceramic material is one of lithium aluminate and CeO.sub.2.
- 4. A matrix in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:
- a further additive constituent comprising an alkaline earth containing material.
- 5. A matrix in accordance with claim 4 wherein:
- said alkaline earth containing material is of a particle size which is less than 0.5 .mu.m.
- 6. A matrix in accordance with claim 4 wherein:
- said alkaline earth containing material contains one or more of Mg.sup.++, Ca.sup.++, Sr.sup.++ and Ba.sup.++.
- 7. A matrix in accordance with claim 6
- said alkaline earth containing material is an oxide or carbonate of one or more of Mg.sup.++, Ca.sup.++, Sr.sup.++ and Ba.sup.++.
- 8. The matrix of claim 1 further comprising:
- a reinforcement constituent including one or more of a ceramic fiber, ceramic particulate and metal mesh.
- 9. The matrix of claim 1 further comprising:
- a carbonate electrolyte within said matrix.
- 10. A fuel cell comprising:
- an anode section;
- a cathode section;
- an electrolyte matrix sandwiched between said anode section and said cathode section, said electrolyte matrix comprising: a support material and an additive constituent having a low melting point and high thermal coefficient of expansion, said additive constituent being present in the amount of 3 to 45 volume percent of said matrix and having been formed from raw particles whose diameter is in a range of 0.1 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m and whose aspect ratio is in the range of 1 to 50, said additive material having been formed from one or more of raw particles of Al, raw particles of Li.sub.2 CO.sub.3 and raw particles of Li-containing precursors.
- 11. A fuel cell in accordance with claim 10 further comprising:
- a further additive constituent comprising an alkaline earth containing material.
- 12. A fuel cell in accordance with claim 11 wherein:
- said alkaline earth containing material is of a particle size which is less than 0.5 .mu.m.
- 13. A fuel cell in accordance with claim 11 wherein:
- said alkaline earth containing material contains one or more of Mg.sup.++, Ca.sup.++, Sr.sup.++ and Ba.sup.++.
- 14. A fuel cell in accordance with claim 13 wherein:
- said alkaline earth containing material is an oxide or carbonate of one or more of Mg.sup.++, Ca.sup.++, Sr.sup.++ and Ba.sup.++.
- 15. A fuel cell in accordance with claim 10 wherein:
- said support material is a ceramic.
- 16. A fuel cell in accordance with claim 15 wherein:
- said ceramic material is one of lithium aluminate and CeO.sub.2.
- 17. A fuel cell in accordance with claim 10 wherein:
- said electrolyte matrix further comprises a reinforcement constituent including one or more of a ceramic fiber, ceramic particulate and metal mesh.
- 18. A fuel cell in accordance with claim 10 further comprising:
- a carbonate electrolyte within said matrix.
- 19. A method of making a matrix for carrying a carbonate electrolyte comprising:
- providing a support material;
- providing an additive constituent having a low melting point and a high thermal coefficient of expansion, said additive constituent being formed of particles whose diameter is in the range of 0.1 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m and whose aspect ratio is in the range of 1 to 50;
- mixing said support material and additive constituent including intensive milling of said support material and, thereafter, adding said additive constituent to said support material and intensive milling of said additive material and said support material to form a mixture; and;
- forming said mixture into a coherent member to provide said matrix.
- 20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein:
- said additive material is one or more of Al, Li.sub.2 CO.sub.3, Li/KCO.sub.3, Li/NaCO.sub.3 and Li-containing precursors.
- 21. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein:
- said method further comprises providing a further additive including an alkaline earth containing material;
- said step of mixing is carried out by mixing said additive, further additive and support material including high energy intensive milling of said additive, further additive and support material.
- 22. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein:
- at the completion of said mixing step, said alkaline earth containing material is of a particle size which is less than 0.5 .mu.m.
- 23. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein:
- said alkaline earth containing material contains one or more of Mg.sup.++, Ca.sup.++, Sr.sup.++ and Ba.sup.++.
- 24. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein:
- said alkaline earth containing material is an oxide or carbonate of one or more of Mg.sup.++, Ca.sup.++, Sr.sup.++ and Ba.sup.++.
- 25. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein:
- providing said support material includes dispersing said support material in a liquid vehicle;
- said intensive milling of said support material is carried out with said support material dispersed in said liquid vehicle;
- said adding of said additive constituent includes dispersing said additive material in said liquid vehicle with said support material dispersed therein after said intensive milling of said support material;
- and said intensive milling of said support material and said additive constituent is carried out with said support material and said additive constituent dispersed in said liquid vehicle.
- 26. A method in accordance with claim 25 wherein:
- said forming includes casting said mixture of support material and said additive material and drying said casted mixture to form said coherent member.
- 27. A method in accordance with claim 25 further comprising:
- heating said coherent member to sinter the additive constituent.
- 28. A method in accordance with claim 27 further comprising:
- adding carbonate electrolyte to said coherent member.
- 29. A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein:
- said heating occurs with said coherent member assembled into a fuel cell.
STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
This invention was made with Government support under contract DE-FG05-93ER81512 awarded by the Department of Energy. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
US Referenced Citations (18)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0121301 |
Oct 1984 |
EPX |
3235240 |
Apr 1983 |
DEX |