Abstract: A fuel cell and method for manufacturing the fuel cell are described herein. Basically, the fuel cell is formed from an electrode/electrolyte structure including an array of anode electrodes and cathode electrodes disposed on opposing sides of an electrolyte sheet, the anode and cathode electrodes being electrically connected in series, parallel, or a combination thereof by electrical conductors that traverse via holes in the electrolyte sheet. Several different embodiments of electrical conductors which have a specific composition and/or a specific geometry are described herein.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention the fuel cell device includes an electrolyte sheet. The electrolyte sheet has a substantially non-porous body of a varied thickness, a relatively smooth surface and a more textured surface with multiple indentations therein, wherein the thickest part of the electrolyte sheet is at least 0.5 micrometers greater than the thinnest part of said electrolyte sheet. The side of the electrolyte sheet with a relatively smooth surface is subjected to the predominately tensile force and the other, more textured surface subjected to predominately compressive force. According to one embodiment, the fuel cell also includes one cathode disposed on the more textured side of said electrolyte sheet at least at least one anode disposed opposite the cathode on the relatively smooth side of aid electrolyte sheet. According to one embodiment, the relatively smooth side of the electrolyte sheet is the fuel facing side and the more textured side is the air-facing side.

Abstract: An electrolyte sheet comprises a body of a varied thickness. The electrolyte sheet has at least one non-porous surface. This non-porous surface is a textured surface with multiple indentations therein. The thickest part of the electrolyte sheet is at least 0.5 micrometers greater than the thinnest part of the sheet.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention a fuel cell device comprises: a plurality of fuel cells, each of the plurality of fuel cells having an active area, wherein at least two of the plurality of fuel cells have differently sized active area, such that ratio of the active areas of these two fuel cells is at least 1.1:1.

Abstract: A fuel cell and method for manufacturing the fuel cell are described herein. Basically, the fuel cell is formed from an electrode/electrolyte structure including an array of anode electrodes and cathode electrodes disposed on opposing sides of an electrolyte sheet, the anode and cathode electrodes being electrically connected in series, parallel, or a combination thereof by electrical conductors that traverse via holes in the electrolyte sheet. Several different embodiments of electrical conductors which have a specific composition and/or a specific geometry are described herein.

Abstract: A fuel cell and method for manufacturing the fuel cell are described herein. Basically, the fuel cell is formed from an electrode/electrolyte structure including an array of anode electrodes and cathode electrodes disposed on opposing sides of an electrolyte sheet, the anode and cathode electrodes being electrically connected in series, parallel, or a combination thereof by electrical conductors that traverse via holes in the electrolyte sheet. Several different embodiments of electrical conductors which have a specific composition and/or a specific geometry are described herein.

Abstract: An aluminum titanate-based ceramic article having a composition comprising u (Al2O3—TiO2)+v (R)+w (3Al2O3—2SiO2)+x (Al2O3)+y (SiO2)+z (1.1SrO-1.5Al2O3-13.6SiO2—TiO2)+a (Fe2O3—TiO2)+b (MgO-2TiO2), where, R is SrO—Al2O3-2SiO2 or 11.2SrO-10.9Al2O3-24.1SiO2—TiO2, where u, v, w, x, y, z, a and b are weight fractions of each component such that (u+v+w+x+y+z+a+b=1), and 0.5<u?0.95, 0.01<v?0.5, 0.01<w?0.5, 0?x?0.5, 0?y?0.1, 0?z?0.5, 0<a?0.3, and 0?b?0.3. A method of forming the ceramic article is provided. The ceramic article is useful in automotive emissions control systems, such as diesel exhaust filtration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fuel cell apparatus which includes arrays of positive air electrodes and negative fuel electrodes with via interconnections disposed on an electrolyte sheet; optional electrode designs include symmetric electrodes comprising a conductive silver alloy metal phase and a thermally stabilizing ceramic phase, the latter providing low interface resistance and matching thermal properties.

Abstract: An electrolyte sheet comprises a body of a varied thickness. The electrolyte sheet has at least one non-porous surface. This non-porous surface is a textured surface with multiple indentations therein. The thickest part of the electrolyte sheet is at least 0.5 micrometers greater than the thinnest part of the sheet.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention the fuel cell device includes an electrolyte sheet. The electrolyte sheet has a substantially non-porous body of a varied thickness, a relatively smooth surface and a more textured surface with multiple indentations therein, wherein the thickest part of the electrolyte sheet is at least 0.5 micrometers greater than the thinnest part of said electrolyte sheet. The side of the electrolyte sheet with a relatively smooth surface is subjected to the predominately tensile force and the other, more textured surface subjected to predominately compressive force. According to one embodiment, the fuel cell also includes one cathode disposed on the more textured side of said electrolyte sheet at least at least one anode disposed opposite the cathode on the relatively smooth side of aid electrolyte sheet.

Abstract: A ceramic structure which is pollucite-based and has high refractoriness and high resistance to thermal shock. The inventive structure is suitable in high temperature applications such as a filtering particulates from diesel engine exhaust.

Abstract: An aluminum titanate-based ceramic article having a composition comprising u (Al2O3-TiO2)+v (R)+w (3Al2O3-2SiO2)+x (Al2O3)+y (SiO2)+z (1.1SrO-1.5Al2O3-13.6SiO2-TiO2)+a (Fe2O3-TiO2)+b (MgO-2TiO2), where, R is SrO-Al2O3-2SiO2 or 11.2SrO-10.9Al2O3-24.1SiO2-TiO2, where u, v, w, x, y, z, a and b are weight fractions of each component such that (u+v+w+x+y+z+a+b=1), and 0.5<u≦0.95, 0.01<v≦0.5, 0.01<w≦0.5, 0<x≦0.5, 0<y≦0.1, 0<z≦0.5, 0<a≦0.3, and 0<b≦0.3. A method of forming the ceramic article is provided. The ceramic article is useful in automotive emissions control systems, such as diesel exhaust filtration.

Abstract: A fuel cell and method for manufacturing the fuel cell are described herein. Basically, the fuel cell is formed from an electrode/electrolyte structure including an array of anode electrodes and cathode electrodes disposed on opposing sides of an electrolyte sheet, the anode and cathode electrodes being electrically connected in series, parallel, or a combination thereof by electrical conductors that traverse via holes in the electrolyte sheet. Several different embodiments of electrical conductors which have a specific composition and/or a specific geometry are described herein.

Abstract: A ceramic filter for trapping and combusting diesel exhaust particulates offering improved configurations that are significantly more resistant to thermal cracking and melting damage comprises a honeycomb filter body composed of porous ceramic material and including a plurality of parallel cell channels traversing the body from a frontal inlet end to an outlet end thereof, a portion of the cell channels are plugged in a non-checkered pattern, and the remaining cell channels are plugged in a checkered pattern. In one embodiment the honeycomb filter body has a section of non-checkered and a section of checkered plugging at the frontal inlet end. In another embodiment the honeycomb filter body has a plurality of cell channels internal plugs. In another embodiment the honeycomb filter body has a plurality of partial cell channels which extend partially from the frontal inlet end into the honeycomb filter body, and are unplugged at the frontal inlet end.

Abstract: The present invention relates to electrode/electrolyte assemblies for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) comprising a thin electrolyte sheet interposed between opposite electrodes, and wherein the positive air electrode (cathode) and negative fuel electrode (anode) are composed of similar electronically conductive metal phases and stabilizing ceramic phases, and wherein the anode exhibits both good oxidation resistance and good catalytic activity toward fuel oxidation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a compliant fuel cell apparatus which includes arrays of positive air electrodes and negative fuel electrodes with via interconnections disposed on a thin compliant electrolyte sheet; optional electrode designs include symmetric electrodes comprising a conductive silver alloy metal phase and a thermally stabilizing ceramic phase, the latter providing low interface resistance and matching thermal properties, with the resulting fuel cells remaining sufficiently compliant to demonstrate good resistance to thermal shock damage.

Abstract: Flexible ceramic sheets with enhanced strain tolerance for electrochemical applications such as solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes incorporate a surface indentation pattern providing a strain tolerance of not less than 0.5% in any direction in the sheet plane, being made from flexible green ceramic sheet comprising a ceramic powder and a thermoplastic organic binder by heating and reshaping the green sheet to form a multi-directional surface corrugation pattern therein, followed by firing to sinter the ceramic powder to a flexible ceramic sheet having a multi-directional surface corrugation pattern.

Abstract: Solid oxide fuel cell assemblies comprise packets of multi-cell-sheet devices based on compliant solid oxide electrolyte sheets that form a fuel chamber and support anodes interiorly and cathodes exteriorly of the chamber that can be electrically interconnected to provide a compact, high voltage power-generating unit; added frames can support the oxide sheets and incorporate fuel supply and air supply conduits or manifolds permitting stacking of the assemblies into fuel cell stacks of any required size and power-generating capacity.

Abstract: The present invention is directed at a supported zeolite structure comprising substantially-sintered monolithic porous ceramic substrate having coated thereon a uniformly thin, essentially continuous zeolite crystal layer covering at least one surface and associated pores of the porous ceramic material. The zeolite crystal layer is comprised of a single layer of zeolite crystals and is free of any growth enhancing, selectivity enhancing, or reparation layer and exhibits an oriented structure whereby the crystals exhibit a substantially columnar cross-section. Preferably, the porous ceramic substrate support comprises, on an analyzed oxide basis, 10-90%, by weight alumina and exhibits a crystal phase assemblage selected from the group consisting of cordierite, mullite, alumina, and/or mixtures thereof. A method for forming a zeolite membrane disclosed herein is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrolyte structure coated on at least one surface with a roughened interfacial nano-crystalline layer. Another aspect of the present invention is a solid oxide fuel cell which includes a positive air electrode, a negative fuel electrode, an electrolyte structure interposed between the positive air electrode and negative fuel electrode, and a roughened interfacial nano-crystalline layer interposed between the electrolyte structure and at least one of the positive air electrode and negative fuel electrode. The present invention also relates to methods of making the coated electrolyte and solid oxide fuel cell.