Abstract: A composite sealant for in-situ sealing a fuel cell stack is provided. A paste of the sealant mixture is initially formed by mixing a glass precursor powder and a reacting filler material. The sealant mixture paste is applied to selected sealing locations of the fuel cell stack. The sealant mixture paste is then transformed into a composite sealant material to seal the selected sealing locations by heat treatment in air to about 900° C. The composite sealant material comprises a glass matrix phase and a reinforcing phase including a plurality of interlocked elongated single crystal grains. The reacting fillers modify the CTE and significantly improve the gap filling capacity of the composite sealant material and provide superior pressure containment capability at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A component comprises a silicon-based substrate; and a protective coating for the substrate. The protective coating includes tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) and an additive for suppressing transformation from beta Ta2O5 to alpha Ta2O5.

Abstract: A dry pressing and slip casting process is provided for the manufacture of glass-ceramic components of the type used in sensors. Both process on starts with a powder composition of SiO2 (42-59 wt. %), Al2O3 (17-35 wt. %), MgO (2-25 wt. %) and also BaO (0-20 wt. %), TiO2 (0-12 wt. %), ZnO (0-10 wt. %), CaO (0-10 wt. %), B2O3 (0-5 wt %), P2O5 (0-5 wt. %), ZrO2 (0-5 wt. %), alkali oxides such as K2O, Na2O (0-3 wt. %) and other small amounts (0-1 wt. %) of additives such as Fe2O3, As2O3. Fe2O3, V2O5, As2O3. Some of the ingredients (e.g. Mg, Ba, Ca) can also be present in the form of fluoride, e.g., MgF2, BaF2, CaF2, to up to 10 wt. %. Additional ceramic additives up to 30 wt. %, which are as second phase (e.g., Al2O3, Y2O3 doped ZrO2, SiO2, mullite, zircon, carbides, nitrides, and a combination of the above), are not part of the glass composition, but are introduced to enhance both the mechanical strength and toughness and to further modify the coefficient of thermal expansion.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a plurality of plates, and a plurality of sharp-cornered carbon/carbon fins between the plates.

Abstract: A capacitive pressure sensor capsule having a support base with a cavity is provided. The capsule includes a housing having a ceramic cover sealingly attached to a ceramic base to define an interior chamber. The base has a cavity facing this interior chamber and at least one hole adjacent the cavity that extends through the base. A glass sensor has a first diaphragm with a first electrode and a second diaphragm with a second electrode bonded together to form a capacitor and is mounted in the chamber so that one of the diaphragms is received within the cavity and the other diaphragm lies on the surface of the base and covers the hole. A conducting member extends from the sensor, through the hole to electronic circuitry mounted to the capsule. The cavity also has a land for supporting the diaphragm disposed therein.

Abstract: A method for making a glass frit paste is provided. First, nitrocellulose is dissolved in a high vapor pressure solvent of the nitrocellulose to make a solution. A portion of the solution is then mixed with alpha-terpineol to form a vehicle. Glass frit is mixed with the vehicle and then ground to form the paste. During the grinding step most of the high vapor pressure solvent evaporates. The resulting paste has a composition comprising about 0.3-12.0 wt. % nitrocellulose, about 0.5-2.0 wt. % of a high vapor pressure solvent of said nitrocellulose, about 14.0-25.0 wt. % alpha-terpineol, and the remainder glass frit.

Abstract: A radial planar fuel cell stack comprises an internal manifold having a first interior cavity and a second interior cavity. A plurality of single cells having an anode layer, a cathode layer, and an electrolyte layer therebetween are disposed about the manifold. A manifold bracket operatively fixes the manifold to at least one of the single cells. The manifold bracket describes a channel in communication with at least one of the first and second interior cavities. A porous element is disposed in the channel and ensures uniform distribution of gases over 360°.

Abstract: A sealant for a solid oxide fuel cell comprises a glass material that acts as a matrix, with the glass material being present between about 40 to 90 wt. %. A gap-filler material is also in the sealant and selected from the group consisting of a metal material and a ceramic material, with the gap-filler material being present between about 10 to 60 wt. %. The sealant can seal a gap as large as about 3 mm.

Abstract: A method for making a glass frit paste is provided. First, nitrocellulose is dissolved in a high vapor pressure solvent of the nitrocellulose to make a solution. A portion of the solution is then mixed with alpha-terpineol to form a vehicle. Glass frit is mixed with the vehicle and then ground to form the paste. During the grinding step most of the high vapor pressure solvent evaporates. The resulting paste has a composition comprising about 0.3-12.0 wt. % nitrocellulose, about 0.5-2.0 wt. % of a high vapor pressure solvent of said nitrocellulose, about 14.0-25.0 wt. % alpha-terpineol, and the remainder glass frit.

Abstract: A method for making a glass frit paste is provided. First, nitrocellulose is dissolved in a high vapor pressure solvent of the nitrocellulose to make a solution. A portion of the solution is then mixed with alpha-terpineol to form a vehicle. Glass frit is mixed with the vehicle and then ground to form the paste. During the grinding step most of the high vapor pressure solvent evaporates. The resulting paste has a composition comprising about 0.3-12.0 wt. % nitrocellulose, about 0.5-2.0 wt. % of a high vapor pressure solvent of said nitrocellulose, about 14.0-25.0 wt. % alpha-terpineol, and the remainder glass frit.

Abstract: Carbon—carbon composite parts are joined with minimum surface preparation. A reactive-bonding joint interlayer having thickness greater than 1 mil is formed of fine particles of carbide-forming metallic ingredients and carbon. The joint interlayer is sandwiched between the two carbon—carbon parts to be joined and the assembly is heated under a compressive pressure to a temperature sufficient to complete the bonding reaction. No special surface preparation is required for the carbon—carbon parts due to the nature of the reactive-bonding. The mechanical properties of the joint are assured by selecting the metal-carbon ingredients so that thermal expansion mismatch is minimized. Shear strength exhibited by the resulting joints is greater than the interlaminar shear strength of the carbon—carbon composite material.

Abstract: Carbon--carbon composite parts are joined with minimum surface preparation. A reactive-bonding joint interlayer having thickness greater than 1 mil is formed of fine particles of carbide-forming metallic ingredients and carbon. The joint interlayer is sandwiched between the two carbon--carbon parts to be joined and the assembly is heated under a compressive pressure to a temperature sufficient to complete the bonding reaction. No special surface preparation is required for the carbon--carbon parts due to the nature of the reactive-bonding. The mechanical properties of the joint are assured by selecting the metal-carbon ingredients so that thermal expansion mismatch is minimized. Shear strength exhibited by the resulting joints is greater than the interlaminar shear strength of the carbon--carbon composite material.

Abstract: A ceramic body based on barium and strontium titanates has a composition defined essentially by the formula Ba.sub.1-x Sr.sub.x TiO.sub.3, where x ranges from 0 to 1. The ceramic body is chemically and dimensionally stable in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) operation environments, which encounter oxidizing and reducing atmospheres at temperatures as high as 1,000.degree. C. In addition, the ceramic of which the body is comprised can be tailored to yield a ceramic in which the thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) is adjusted between 11.3.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree.C. and 12.4.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree.C. to match the CTE of the other SOFC materials, thereby avoiding the adverse effects of thermal stress. These features make the ceramic body especially suited for use as manifolds in SOFC stacks, or other non-electrical structural components, such as the inflow and outflow gas manifold materials, the stack housing, or other support structure or spacers in the stack, and the like.

Abstract: An anode/anode bonding material for anode to anode material bonding in SOFC stacks, and an anode/interconnect bonding material for anode material to interconnect material bonding in SOFC stacks are provided. The anode/anode bonding material comprises powders of reactive ingredients, nickel oxide and zirconium oxide as the major components. The anode/interconnect bonding material comprises powders of reactive ingredients, nickel oxide, zirconium oxide, cobalt oxide, calcium oxide or strontium oxide as the major components. The reactive ingredients are selected from the compounds of tungsten, tantalum, niobium, molybdenum, and titanium. During the bonding operation at subsintering temperatures of 1000.degree.-1300.degree. C. the bonding materials react with anode and/or interconnect material to provide strong and reliable anode to anode bonds and/or anode to interconnect bonds that have a bonding strength greater than one megapascal.