Alliedsignal Inc.

Timothy R Armstrong

Marshall Patton Saville

Nguyen Q Minh

Thomas K Rigney, Ii

John R Esopa

Dawne M Moffatt

James J Van Ackeren

A fuel cell comprises an anode, a cathode, a solid electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode, and interconnect means for providing an electrical connection located adjacent to either the cathode or the anode but not adjacent to the solid electrolyte. The interconnect means includes an interconnect layer having a composition of (i) a mixture of an electrical conductor and a ceramic matrix material that is sinterable in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature of less than about 1500.degree. C., (ii) a mixture of a lanthanum chromite-based ceramic and a yttrium chromite-based ceramic, or (iii) a yttrium chromite-based ceramic of the form Y.sub.w-x-y Ca.sub.x Zr.sub.y Cr.sub.v-z Zn.sub.z O.sub.3 , where w is from about 0.9 to about 1.1, x is from about 0.1 to about 0.3, y is from about 0.001 to about 0.1, z is from about 0.1 to about 0.3, and v is from about 1 to about 1.2.

Monolithic fuel cell having improved interconnect layer

A fuel cell comprises an anode, a cathode, a solid electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode, and interconnect means for providing an electrical connection located adjacent to either the cathode or the anode but not adjacent to the solid electrolyte. The interconnect means includes an interconnect layer having a composition of a mixture of an electrical conductor and a ceramic matrix material that is sinterable in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature of less than about 1500.degree. C. The interconnect means includes, a first buffer layer having a region with a composition that is intermediate between that of the anode and that of the interconnect layer, a second buffer layer having a region with a composition that is intermediate between that of the cathode and that of the interconnect layer, and the interconnect layer disposed between the first buffer layer and the second buffer layer.

Monolithic fuel cell having a multilayer interconnect

A method of constructing a fuel cell includes a sintering technique that improves the structure and performance of the fuel cell elements. The method includes furnishing a fuel cell core comprising trilayers of anode, cathode, and interconnect layers, and trilayers of anode, cathode, and electrolyte layers. Each of the layers has a mixture of the respective anode, cathode, or interconnect ceramic material mixed with processing aid materials including a binder and a plasticizer, and, in the case of the interconnect mixture, optionally a flux. This partially fabricated fuel cell core is sintered to form a monolithic structure, the step of sintering being performed by heating the core at a heating rate of greater than about 40.degree. C. per minute to a sintering temperature of from about 1550.degree. to about 1600.degree. C., maintaining the core at the sintering temperature for a time of from about 5 to about 20 minutes, and cooling the sintered structure.

Rapid thermal processing of multilayer tapes for fuel cell applications

A cylindrical superconductor bearing is made of Type II ceramic superconductor, dispersed in an acrylic thermoplastic carrier in a ratio between 1:1 and 3:1 by volume. The cylindrical superconductor bearing is particularly useful as a magnetic journal bearing.

Cylindrical composite superconductor bearing

A Type II ceramic superconductor is dispersed in an acrylic thermoplastic carrier in a ratio between 1:1 and 3:1. Resulting is a readily formable, thermosetting superconductor composite. The superconductor composite is particularly useful as a magnetic bearing or for fabricating devices to contain magnetic flux, because of its 'flux pinning' effect.

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Palos Verdes Estates, CA, United States of America

Timothy R Armstrong