Battelle Memorial Institute

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Jin Yong Kim

Vincent L Sprenkle

Kerry D Meinhardt

Kenneth Scott Weil

Guosheng Li

Xiaochuan Lu

John G Frye

Curt A Lavender

Lawrence Andrew Chick

John S Hardy

Karl Jacob Haltiner, Jr

John Patrick Lemmon

Subhasish Mukerjee

Jung-Pyung Choi

Jun Liu

Gordon Lee Graff

Wu Xu

Zhenguo Yang

Zimin Nie

Glenn J Grant

Donghai Wang

Eric Sidney Mast

Daiwon Choi

Nathan L Canfield

Vilayanur Venkataraman Viswanathan

K Scott Weil

Jason Zhang

A dense &#x3b2;&#x2033;-alumina/zirconia composite solid electrolyte and process for fabrication are disclosed. The process allows fabrication at temperatures at or below 1600&#xb0; C. The solid electrolytes include a dense composite matrix of &#x3b2;&#x2033;-alumina and zirconia, and one or more transition metal oxides that aid the conversion and densification of precursor salts during sintering. The composite solid electrolytes find application in sodium energy storage devices and power-grid systems and devices for energy applications.

Process for fabrication of enhanced &#x3b2;&#x2033;-alumina solid electrolytes for energy storage devices and energy applications

Methods are provided for synthesizing high purity niobium or rhenium powders by a combustion reaction. The methods can include: forming a combustion synthesis solution by dissolving in water an oxidizer, a fuel, and at least one base-soluble, ammonium salt of niobium or rhenium in amounts that yield a stoichiometric burn when combusted; and heating the combustion synthesis solution to a temperature sufficient to substantially remove the water and to initiate a self-sustaining combustion reaction.

Methods for synthesizing high purity niobium or rhenium powders

An energy storage device comprising a cathode comprising:

Na&#x2014;FeClZEBRA type battery

Nanocrystalline metal powders comprising tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium and/or niobium can be synthesized using a combustion reaction. Methods for synthesizing the nanocrystalline metal powders are characterized by forming a combustion synthesis solution by dissolving in water an oxidizer, a fuel, and a base-soluble, ammonium precursor of tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium, or niobium in amounts that yield a stoichiometric burn when combusted. The combustion synthesis solution is then heated to a temperature sufficient to substantially remove water and to initiate a self-sustaining combustion reaction. The resulting powder can be subsequently reduced to metal form by heating in a reducing gas environment.

Production of nanocrystalline metal powders via combustion reaction synthesis

A method of manufacturing a solid oxide fuel cell stack having an electrically conductive interconnect, including the steps of: (a) providing a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell, (b) providing a substrate having an iron-chromium alloy, (c) depositing a layer of metallic cobalt over a portion of substrate surface, (d) subjecting the layer of metallic cobalt to reducing conditions, (e) then exposing the remaining portion of the layer of metallic cobalt to oxidizing conditions for a predetermined time and temperature, such that the surface portion of the layer of metallic cobalt is oxidized to cobalt oxide, thereby forming the electrically conductive interconnect having a layer of metallic cobalt sandwiched between a surface layer of cobalt oxide and the layer of cobalt-iron-chromium alloy, and (f) sandwiching the substrate between the first and second fuel cells.

Method of manufacturing a fuel cell stack having an electrically conductive interconnect

A new battery configuration and process are detailed. The battery cell includes a solid electrolyte configured with an engineered metallization layer that distributes sodium across the surface of the electrolyte extending the active area of the cathode in contact with the anode during operation. The metallization layer enhances performance, efficiency, and capacity of sodium batteries at intermediate temperatures at or below about 200&#xb0; C.

Metallization pattern on solid electrolyte or porous support of sodium battery process

Tools for friction stir welding can be made with fewer process steps, lower cost techniques, and/or lower cost ingredients than other state-of-the-art processes by utilizing improved compositions and processes of fabrication. Furthermore, the tools resulting from the improved compositions and processes of fabrication can exhibit better distribution and homogeneity of chemical constituents, greater strength, and/or increased durability. In one example, a friction stir weld tool includes tungsten and rhenium and is characterized by carbide and oxide dispersoids, by carbide particulates, and by grains that comprise a solid solution of the tungsten and rhenium. The grains do not exceed 10 micrometers in diameter.

Friction stir weld tools having fine grain structure

Sodium energy storage devices employing aspects of both ZEBRA batteries and traditional Na&#x2014;S batteries can perform better than either battery alone. The hybrid energy storage devices described herein can include a sodium anode, a molten sodium salt catholyte, and a positive electrode that has active species containing sulfur. Additional active species can include a transition metal source and NaCl. As a product of the energy discharge process, NaSforms in which x is less than three.

Hybrid energy storage devices having sodium

Lithium ion batteries having an anode comprising at least one graphene layer in electrical communication with titania to form a nanocomposite material, a cathode comprising a lithium olivine structure, and an electrolyte. The graphene layer has a carbon to oxygen ratio of between 15 to 1 and 500 to 1 and a surface area of between 400 and 2630 m/g. The nanocomposite material has a specific capacity at least twice that of a titania material without graphene material at a charge/discharge rate greater than about 10 C. The olivine structure of the cathode of the lithium ion battery of the present invention is LiMPOwhere M is selected from the group consisting of Fe, Mn, Co, Ni and combinations thereof.

Lithium ion batteries with titania/graphene anodes

A method for joining two ceramic parts, or a ceramic part and a metal part, and the joint formed thereby. The method provides two or more parts, a braze consisting of a mixture of copper oxide and silver, a diffusion barrier, and then heats the braze for a time and at a temperature sufficient to form the braze into a bond holding the two or more parts together. The diffusion barrier is an oxidizable metal that forms either a homogeneous component of the braze, a heterogeneous component of the braze, a separate layer bordering the braze, or combinations thereof. The oxidizable metal is selected from the group Al, Mg, Cr, Si, Ni, Co, Mn, Ti, Zr, Hf, Pt, Pd, Au, lanthanides, and combinations thereof.

Diffusion barriers in modified air brazes

Lanthanum strontium cobalt iron oxides (La(1-x)SrxCoyFe1-yO3-f; (LSCF) have excellent power density (&#x3e;500 mW/cm2 at 750&#xb0; C.). When covered with a metallization layer, LSCF cathodes have demonstrated increased durability and stability. Other modifications, such as the thickening of the cathode, the preparation of the device by utilizing a firing temperature in a designated range, and the use of a pore former paste having designated characteristics and combinations of these features provide a device with enhanced capabilities.

Optimized cell configurations for stable LSCF-based solid oxide fuel cells

Methods for improving the sulfur-tolerance of nickel-based catalyst systems, as well as the improved catalyst systems, are disclosed. The methods can include adding praseodymium alone, or in combination with ruthenium and/or cerium, to a nickel-based catalyst system, thereby inhibiting sulfur poisoning of the catalyst system. Improved catalyst systems can have an added amount of praseodymium alone, or in combination with ruthenium and/or cerium, sufficient to inhibit poisoning of the system by sulfur.

Sulfur-tolerant catalyst systems

An interconnect system including: a separator plate to provide an anode gas flow space; a first metal interconnect disposed between the separator plate and an anode surface; a nickel oxide paste applied in a pattern over the surface of the anode and adjacent surface of the separator plate which when sintered results in a first conductive layer bonded to the anode and the first interconnect, and a second conductive layer bonded to the first interconnect and the separator plate; a second metal interconnect disposed between a cathode surface of the cell and the separator plate of an adjacent cell cassette; and a silver-containing paste applied over the surface of the cathode and the separator plate which when sintered results in a third conductive layer bonded to the cathode and the second interconnect, and a fourth conductive layer bonded to the second interconnect and the separator plate.

Solid bonded interconnect system in a lightweight solid oxide fuel cell stack

A method of joining metal and ceramic parts, wherein an alumina forming metal part and a ceramic part are provided. A braze material in placed between the alumina forming metal part and the ceramic part, and the combination is then heated in an oxidizing atmosphere, preferably in air at a temperature of between 500&#xb0; C. and 1300&#xb0; C. The alumina forming metal parts are selected from the group consisting of high temperature stainless steels, such as Durafoil (alpha-4), Fecralloy, Alumina-coated 430 stainless steel and Crofer-22APU, and high temperature superalloys such as Haynes 214, Nicrofer 6025, and Ducraloy. The braze material is selected as a metal oxide-noble metal mixture, preferably Ag&#x2014;CuO, Ag&#x2014;VO, and Pt&#x2014;NbO, and more preferably between 30.65 to 100 mole % Ag in CuO.

Growing community of inventors

Richland, WA, United States of America

Jin Yong Kim