Patents by Inventor Ayano Kobayashi

Ayano Kobayashi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20150004525
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell comprises a solid electrolyte layer, a barrier layer, and a cathode. The cathode includes a cathode current collecting layer and a cathode active layer. The cathode active layer includes a plurality of micro-cracks in a surface region within a predetermined distance from the interface between the barrier layer and the cathode active layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Ayano KOBAYASHI, Makoto OHMORI, Mariko OKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20150004523
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell comprises a solid electrolyte layer, a barrier layer, and a cathode. The cathode includes a cathode current collecting layer and a cathode active layer. The cathode active layer includes a plurality of micro-cracks in an interface region within a predetermined distance from the interface between the cathode current collecting layer and the cathode active layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Ayano KOBAYASHI, Makoto OHMORI, Mariko OKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20150004524
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell comprises a solid electrolyte layer, a barrier layer, and a cathode. The cathode includes a cathode current collecting layer and a cathode active layer. The cathode active layer includes a plurality of micro-cracks in an inner region separated respectively from the interface and the interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Ayano KOBAYASHI, Makoto OHMORI, Mariko OKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20140315116
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell includes a cathode, and an anode, and a solid electrolyte layer disposed between the cathode and the anode. The cathode includes a complex oxide having a perovskite structure expressed by the general formula ABO3. A standard deviation value for the atomic percentage of respective elements at the A site measured using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy at 10 spots in a single field on the sectional surface of the cathode is no more than 10.4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Makoto OHMORI, Ayano KOBAYASHI, Shinji FUJISAKI
  • Patent number: 8835077
    Abstract: The electrode material contains a complex oxide and at least one of ZrO2 and a compound comprising ZrO2. The complex oxide has a perovskite structure represented by a general formula ABO3. ZrO2 is contained in an amount of 0.3×10?2 wt % to 1 wt % relative to the entire electrode material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano Kobayashi, Shinji Fujisaki, Makoto Ohmori
  • Patent number: 8574784
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell having a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte film, an air electrode, and a conductive current-collecting mesh bonded to an upper surface, opposite to a lower bonding surface with the solid electrolyte film, of the air electrode. Plural bonding portions that are bonded to the current-collecting mesh and plural non-bonding portions that are not bonded to the current-collecting mesh are present on the upper surface of the air electrode. In the air electrode, regions having a porosity smaller than a porosity of the other region are respectively formed on the position in the middle of the thickness of the air electrode from each bonding portion. The average of the porosity of the dense portion is 20% or more and less than 35%, while the average of the porosity of the porous portion is 35% or more and less than 55%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano Kobayashi, Makoto Ohmori
  • Publication number: 20130244132
    Abstract: A cathode material for a solid oxide fuel cell comprising a complex oxide having a perovskite structure expressed by the general formula ABO3 with a standard deviation value of no more than 10.3 for the atomic percentage of respective elements in the A site measured using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy at 10 spots in a single field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto OHMORI, Ayano KOBAYASHI, Shinji FUJISAKI
  • Publication number: 20130236811
    Abstract: A fuel cell (10) includes an anode (11), a solid electrolyte layer (12), a barrier layer (13), and a cathode (14). The anode (11) includes a transition metal and an oxygen ion conductive material. In the interface region (R) within 3 micrometers from the interface with the solid electrolyte layer (12) of the anode (11) after reduction, the content rate of silicon is less than or equal to 200 ppm, the content rate of phosphorous is less than or equal to 50 ppm, the content rate of chrome is less than or equal to 100 ppm, the content rate of boron is less than or equal to 100 ppm, and the content rate of sulfur is less than or equal to 100 ppm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yohei MIURA, Makoto OHMORI, Ayano KOBAYASHI, Takafumi TERAHAI
  • Publication number: 20130095410
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes an anode, a cathode and a solid electrolyte layer. The cathode has a main phase and a sub phase. The main phase is composed of a perovskite type oxide including cobalt. The sub phase is composed of tricobalt tetroxide. The solid electrolyte layer is disposed between the anode and the cathode. An area occupancy of the sub phase in a sectional surface of the cathode is equal to or less than 9.8%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto OHMORI, Ayano KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8349522
    Abstract: A fuel cell (1) includes an anode (11), a cathode (14), an electrolyte layer (13) containing ceria and provided between the anode (11) and the cathode (14), and at least two intermediate layers containing zirconia and provided between the electrolyte layer (13) and the anode (11). The at least two intermediate layers include a first intermediate layer (18) that contains ceria and a second intermediate layer (19) that has a higher zirconia concentration than the first intermediate layer and is provided between the first intermediate layer and the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano Kobayashi, Makoto Ohmori
  • Patent number: 8349511
    Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that includes an anode, a cathode, a solid electrolyte layer, a barrier layer, and an intermediate layer. The solid electrolyte layer includes zirconium and is provided between the anode and the cathode. The barrier layer includes cerium and is provided between the solid electrolyte layer and the cathode. The intermediate layer includes zirconium and cerium, and has a first surface facing the solid electrolyte layer, a second surface facing the barrier layer, and pores. The pore ratio of the intermediate layer is higher than the pore ratio of the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano Kobayashi, Shinji Fujisaki, Makoto Ohmori
  • Publication number: 20120264035
    Abstract: A fuel cell (1) includes an anode (11), a cathode (14), an electrolyte layer (13) containing ceria and provided between the anode (11) and the cathode (14), and at least two intermediate layers containing zirconia and provided between the electrolyte layer (13) and the anode (11). The at least two intermediate layers include a first intermediate layer (18) that contains ceria and a second intermediate layer (19) that has a higher zirconia concentration than the first intermediate layer and is provided between the first intermediate layer and the anode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ayano KOBAYASHI, Makoto OHMORI
  • Publication number: 20120237849
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) including a “porous fuel electrode which allows reaction of a fuel gas to proceed and which is formed of Ni and YSZ”; a “porous air electrode which allows reaction of an oxygen-containing gas to proceed”; and a “dense solid electrolyte membrane which is provided between the fuel electrode and the air electrode and which has an interface with the fuel electrode.” In the fuel electrode, Ni grains present in a region located within 3 ?m from the interface (i.e., a “near-interface region”) have a mean size of 0.28 to 0.80 ?m; YSZ grains present in the “near-interface region” have a mean size of 0.28 to 0.80 ?m; and pores present in the “near-interface region” have a mean size of 0.10 to 0.87 ?m. Thus, the fuel electrode of the SOFC exhibits low reaction resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano KOBAYASHI, Makoto Ohmori
  • Publication number: 20120164552
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell having a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte film, an air electrode, and a conductive current-collecting mesh bonded to an upper surface, opposite to a lower bonding surface with the solid electrolyte film, of the air electrode. Plural bonding portions that are bonded to the current-collecting mesh and plural non-bonding portions that are not bonded to the current-collecting mesh are present on the upper surface of the air electrode. In the air electrode, regions having a porosity smaller than a porosity of the other region are respectively formed on the position in the middle of the thickness of the air electrode from each bonding portion. The average of the porosity of the dense portion is 20% or more and less than 35%, while the average of the porosity of the porous portion is 35% or more and less than 55%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano KOBAYASHI, Makoto OHMORI
  • Publication number: 20120021334
    Abstract: The electrode material contains a complex oxide and at least one of ZrO2 and a compound comprising ZrO2. The complex oxide has a perovskite structure represented by a general formula ABO3. ZrO2 is contained in an amount of 0.3'10?2 wt % to 1 wt % relative to the entire electrode material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano KOBAYASHI, Shinji Fujisaki, Makoto Ohmori
  • Publication number: 20120021330
    Abstract: The electrode material contains a complex oxide having a perovskite structure represented by a general formula ABO3. Each A-site element having a standard deviation of an atomic concentration of 10.3 or less. The atomic concentration is measured by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy at ten spots within one field of view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano Kobayashi, Shinji Fujisaki, Makoto Ohmori
  • Publication number: 20110305972
    Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that includes an anode, a cathode, a solid electrolyte layer, a barrier layer, and an intermediate layer. The solid electrolyte layer includes zirconium and is provided between the anode and the cathode. The barrier layer includes cerium and is provided between the solid electrolyte layer and the cathode. The intermediate layer includes zirconium and cerium, and has a first surface facing the solid electrolyte layer, a second surface facing the barrier layer, and pores. The pore ratio of the intermediate layer is higher than the pore ratio of the barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano KOBAYASHI, Shinji FUJISAKI, Makoto OHMORI
  • Publication number: 20110305973
    Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that includes an anode, a cathode, a solid electrolyte layer, a barrier layer, and an buffer layer. The solid electrolyte layer includes zirconium and is provided between the anode and the cathode. The barrier layer includes cerium and is provided between the solid electrolyte layer and the cathode. The barrier layer has pores. The buffer layer includes zirconium and cerium and is provided between the barrier layer and the solid electrolyte layer. The barrier layer has a first barrier layer provided near to the buffer layer with a first pore ratio and a second barrier layer provided between the first barrier layer and the cathode with a second pore ratio. The first pore ratio of the first barrier layer is larger than the second pore ratio of the second barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayano Kobayashi, Shinji Fujisaki, Makoto Ohmori