Sintered electrode for SOFCs

Sintered electrode for SOFCs Applicant: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation, USA Here a solid oxide fuel cell electrode is produced by a sintering process. An underlayer is applied to the electrolyte of a solid oxide fuel cell in the form of a slurry, and dried. An overlayer is applied to the underlayer, and dried. The dried under- and overlayers are then sintered to form a fuel electrode. The two layers comprise a combination of electrode metal and stabilised zirconia, with the overlayer comprising a greater percentage of electrode metal. The use of more stabilised zirconia in the underlayer provides good adhesion to the electrolyte, while the use of more electrode metal in the overlayer provides good electrical conductivity. The sintered electrodes exhibit favourable performance characteristics, including good porosity, adhesion, electrical conductivity and freedom from degradation. Patent number: W O 99/16140 Publication date: 1 April 1999 Inventors: R.J. Ruka, K.A. Warner

Electrically conductive seal for fuel cell elements Applicant." UCAR Carbon Technology Corporation, USA An electrically conductive seal is described for bonding together individual electrical fuel cells into a stack assembly. The seal is in the form of a sheet of flexible graphite, impregnated with an adhesive thermosetting resin on each side. Patent number: W O 99/16141 Publication date: 1 April 1999 Inventors: R.A. Mercuri, J.J. Gough

Gold catalyst for fuel cells Applicant: Laman Consultancy Ltd, Bulgaria A gold catalyst is described for reforming and electrochemical oxidation of hydrocarbon fuels, methanol and methane, for application in fuel cells. The gold catalyst is suitable for removal of impurities from the anode fuel, by

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selective oxidation of the carbon monoxide. The active component of the catalyst is a complex which consists of gold and reducible oxide from the transition metals group. The gold concentration is 0.1-2.5%, and the transition metal concentration is 0.1-5%. The catalyst support consists of oxides of ceria, zirconia and titanium. The working temperature of the catalyst is from ambient to 650°C. Patent number: W O 99/16546 Publication date: 8 April 1999 Inventor: V.M. Tatchev

Reducing CO concentration by selective oxidation Applicant: Toyota Jidosha KK, Japan A construction is described for reducing the concentration of carbon monoxide in a hydrogenrich gas fed as a fuel gas into a fuel cell, by selective oxidation of the CO. The selective CO oxidation section contains a catalyst for selectively oxidising the CO, comprising mainly ruthenium and a second element such as lithium. This construction enables selective CO oxidation activity to be maintained on a satisfactorily high level across a broad temperature range in the selective CO oxidation section. Patent number: W O 99/16706 Publication date: 8 April 1999 Inventors: S. Aoyama

Integrated SOFCand reformer Applicant: Waikatolink Ltd (University of Waikato), New Zealand The apparatus described here for generating electrical power has multiple tubular solid oxide fuel cells in a reaction chamber. The fuel cells are secured at one end in a manifold block, with their other ends passing through apertures in a baffle plate to reside in a combustion chamber. Reaction gases are supplied to the insides of the tubular fuel cells from a plenum

chamber below the manifold block, and to the reaction chamber surrounding the fuel cells through an annular inlet, which may include a reformation catalyst. The gas inlet to the plenum chamber, and the annular inlet surrounding the reaction chamber, are both in contact with the reaction chamber and the combustion chamber, so that heat conduction can raise the gases to the appropriate formation and reaction temperatures. Patent number: W O 99/17390 Publication date: 8 April 1999 Inventor: N.M. Sammes

Heterogeneously catalysed reaction Applicant: dbb fuel cell engines GmbH, Germany The patent relates to a device for carrying out a heterogeneously catalysed reaction, for example the production of hydrogen from hydrocarbons or alcohol, especially methanol, by adding a reaction mixture consisting of hydrocarbon and water to a catalyst. The catalyst is produced by pressing at least one catalyst powder into a very compact layer, to form a shaped body. The reaction mixture can then be pressed through the catalyst layer by reducing the pressure. Patent number: W O 99/17867 Publication date: 15 April 1999 Inventors: M. Schtissler, T. Stefanovski, D. Zur Megede

demonstrate improved carbon monoxide tolerance. Patent number: WO 99/19066 Publication date: 22 April 1999 Inventors: M.K. Debe, G.M. Haugen, A.J. Steinbach, J.H. Thomas III, R.J. Ziegler

Conductive thermoset moulding composite Applicant: Cytec Technology Corporation, USA A high filler conductive thermoset composite that may be used in bipolar plates in fuel cells is described. The composite can be used to form electrically and thermally conductive thin-wall structures that have sufficient toughness and are resistant to the harsh fuel cell operating environment. Patent number: W O 99/19389 Publication date.. 22 April 1999 Inventors: M. Choate, R. Peterson, A. Halbritter, J. Weispfenning, G. Almen

Catalyst for membrane electrode assembly Applicant: 3M Co, USA Nanostructured elements are described for use in the electrode of a membrane electrode assembly for use in fuel cells, sensors, electrochemical cells etc. These elements comprise acicular microstructured support whiskers bearing acicular nanoscopic catalyst particles. These may comprise alternating layers of catalyst materials, and may comprise a surface layer that differs in composition from the bulk composition of the catalyst particles. These elements

FuelCellsBulletinNo. 9