Abstract: A unit cell for a solid electrolyte type fuel cell is provided with a fuel electrode, an air electrode making a pair with the fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte interposed between the fuel electrode and the air electrode, a porous metallic base body disposed on at lease one of a surface of the fuel electrode on the far side from the solid electrolyte and a surface of the air electrode on the far side from the solid electrolyte such that the fuel electrode, the electrolyte, and a plurality of concave portions formed in the porous metallic base body so as to extend, in a laminating direction in which the fuel electrode, the electrolyte, the air electrode and the porous metallic base body are laminated, from a surface of the porous metallic base body.

Abstract: A cell plate structure for a fuel cell is provided with a porous substrate, a lower electrode layer formed on the porous substrate, an upper electrode layer opposed to the lower electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer having a layer element placed between the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer and composed of a plurality of divided electrolyte regions, a gas impermeable layer correspondingly covering an area where the solid electrolyte layer is absent on the porous substrate or on the lower electrode layer. The gas impermeable layer separates gas passing inside the porous substrate and gas passing outside the porous substrate. Such a cell plate structure is suited for use in a solid electrolyte type fuel cell.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell stack in which first and second cell plates are alternately stacked. The first cell plates comprises a substrate having a plurality of opening portions, a groove which extends through the plurality of opening portions formed on a lower surface of the substrate, a solid electrolyte layer which covers the opening portion formed on an upper surface of the substrate, a fuel electrode layer which covers the opening portions formed on the solid electrolyte layer, and an air electrode layer formed on the lower surface of the substrate so as to extend along the opening portions and the groove. The second cell plates has a structure in which the air electrode layer is replaced with the fuel electrode layer in the first cell plate. In this fuel cell stack, the air electrode layer of the first cell plate faces the air electrode layer of the second cell plate, and the fuel electrode layer of the first cell plate faces the fuel electrode layer of the second cell plate.

Abstract: A single cell for a fuel cell in which an air electrode or a fuel electrode includes at least two layers. The air electrode includes an adhering cathode layer formed on one surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the air electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting cathode layer formed on the adhering cathode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function of the air electrode. Alternatively, the fuel electrode includes an adhering anode layer formed on the other surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the fuel electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting anode layer formed on the adhering anode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function.

Abstract: A cell plate structure for a solid oxide electrolyte type fuel cell is provided with a lower electrode layer, an upper electrode layer provided in opposition to the lower electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer provided between the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer, and an area provided in at least one of the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer. The area has a portion which is formed by removing a substance, contained in the at least one of the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer during formation thereof, after the at least one of the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer has been formed. Such a fuel cell plate structure can be applied to a solid electrolyte fuel cell representatively by being disposed between a pair of separators that have gas flow passages supplying the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer with gasses, respectively.

Abstract: An SOFC is provided with an oxidizing electrode layer, a reducing electrode layer opposite to the oxidizing electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer between the oxidizing electrode layer and the reducing electrode layer, and an alternating laminated structural section between the oxidizing electrode layer and the solid electrolyte layer or between the reducing electrode layer and the solid electrolyte layer. The alternating laminated structural section has a first thin film layer including a material of corresponding one of the electrode layers and a second thin film layer having a phase including the material of the corresponding one of the electrode layers and that of the solid electrolyte layer. The first thin film layer and the second thin film layer are alternately laminated.

Abstract: A single cell for a fuel cell in which an air electrode or a fuel electrode includes at least two layers. The air electrode includes an adhering cathode layer formed on one surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the air electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting cathode layer formed on the adhering cathode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function of the air electrode. Alternatively, the fuel electrode includes an adhering anode layer formed on the other surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the fuel electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting anode layer formed on the adhering anode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function.

Abstract: A cell body for a fuel cell comprises a metal support and an electrolyte layer and an air electrode layer. The electrolyte layer and the air electrode layer are formed on the metal support. A concave portion is formed in an arbitrary pattern on the metal support, and the bottom of the concave portion is made to be porous.

Abstract: A gettering unit encompasses a silicon substrate, a thin film heater disposed on the silicon substrate, and a gettering layer disposed selectively on the thin film heater. Here, the thin film heater is made of metallic film such as platinum (Pt) or chromium (Cr) film. The area of the gettering layer is smaller than the area for the thin film heater so as to expose first and second end terminals of the thin film heater. The first and second end terminals of the thin film heater serves as the bonding pads in the assembling process.

Abstract: A unit cell for a solid electrolyte type fuel cell is provided with a fuel electrode, an air electrode making a pair with the fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte interposed between the fuel electrode and the air electrode, a porous metallic base body disposed on at lease one of a surface of the fuel electrode on the far side from the solid electrolyte and a surface of the air electrode on the far side from the solid electrolyte such that the fuel electrode, the electrolyte, and a plurality of concave portions formed in the porous metallic base body so as to extend, in a laminating direction in which the fuel electrode, the electrolyte, the air electrode and the porous metallic base body are laminated, from a surface of the porous metallic base body.

Abstract: A fuel cell of the present invention includes a fuel cell stack (1) for being formed by stacking a plurality of cell plates (2) having a flat shape, the cell plates (2) being configured by arranging a plurality of cells, the cell having an electrolyte layer (2a), a fuel electrode layer (2b) and an air electrode layer (2c). A combustion heater plate (3) includes a porous combustion plate (3a) and a gas non-pass layer (3b) covering a surface of the porous combustion plate (3a). The combustion heater plate (3) is disposed between the cell plates (2).

Abstract: This unit cell for a fuel cell is formed by laminating a fuel electrode (3), a solid electrolyte (2) and an air electrode (1) on a porous base material (4). The porous base material (4) has a plurality of fine pores (5) through which fuel gas can flow and has a reforming catalysis. The unit cells for the fuel cell are coupled and integrated two-dimensionally to make a stack for the fuel cell, and thus a solid oxide fuel cell having this stack as a power generating element is formed.

Abstract: An SOFC is provided with an oxidizing electrode layer, a reducing electrode layer opposite to the oxidizing electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer between the oxidizing electrode layer and the reducing electrode layer, and an alternating laminated structural section between the oxidizing electrode layer and the solid electrolyte layer or between the reducing electrode layer and the solid electrolyte layer. The alternating laminated structural section has a first thin film layer including a material of corresponding one of the electrode layers and a second thin film layer having a phase including the material of the corresponding one of the electrode layers and that of the solid electrolyte layer. The fist thin film layer and the second thin film layer are alternately laminated. The second thin film layer may have a coefficient of thermal expansion with a value between that of thermal expansion of the corresponding one of the electrode layers or a value equivalent to that of the solid electrolyte layer.

Abstract: A cell plate structure for a solid oxide electrolyte type fuel cell is provided with a lower electrode layer, an upper electrode layer provided in opposition to the lower electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer provided between the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer, and an area provided in at least one of the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer. The area has a portion which is formed by removing a substance, contained in the at least one of the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer during formation thereof, after the at least one of the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer has been formed. Such a fuel cell plate structure can be applied to a solid electrolyte fuel cell representatively by being disposed between a pair of separators that have gas flow passages supplying the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer with gasses, respectively.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell stack in which first and second cell plates are alternately stacked. The first cell plates comprises a substrate having a plurality of opening portions, a groove which extends through the plurality of opening portions formed on a lower surface of the substrate, a solid electrolyte layer which covers the opening portion formed on an upper surface of the substrate, a fuel electrode layer which covers the opening portions formed on the solid electrolyte layer, and an air electrode layer formed on the lower surface of the substrate so as to extend along the opening portions and the groove. The second cell plates has a structure in which the air electrode layer is replaced with the fuel electrode layer in the first cell plate. In this fuel cell stack, the air electrode layer of the first cell plate faces the air electrode layer of the second cell plate, and the fuel electrode layer of the first cell plate faces the fuel electrode layer of the second cell plate.

Abstract: A single cell for a solid oxide fuel cell, in which a solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched by an upper electrode layer and a lower electrode layer. This single cell includes a substrate having openings and an insulating and stress absorbing layer stacked on an upper surface of this substrate. The solid electrolyte layer is formed on an upper surface of the insulating and stress absorbing layer so as to cover the openings, the upper electrode layer is stacked on an upper surface of the solid electrolyte layer, and the lower electrode layer is coated on a lower surface of the solid electrolyte layer via the openings from a lower surface of the substrate. A cell plate, in which these single cells are disposed two-dimensionally on a common substrate. Furthermore, a solid oxide fuel cell, in which these cell plates and plate-shaped separators including gas passages on both surfaces thereof are alternately stacked.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte fuel cell plate structure includes a cell element layer composed of a solid electrolyte, an air electrode layer and a fuel electrode layer, a porous base body supporting the cell element layer, and a gas-impermeable member having electric conductivity. The cell element layer is arranged such that the solid electrolyte layer is sandwiched between the air electrode layer and the fuel electrode layer, with the air electrode layer or the fuel electrode layer being joined to the porous base body. The gas-impermeable member is associated with the solid electrolyte layer to allow gas internally passing through the porous base body to be separated from gas flowing outside the porous base body. Such a cell plate structure can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell stack, which in turn can be employed in a solid electrolyte fuel cell electric power generation unit.

Abstract: A cell plate structure for a fuel cell is provided with a porous substrate, a lower electrode layer formed on the porous substrate, an upper electrode layer opposed to the lower electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer having a layer element placed between the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer and composed of a plurality of divided electrolyte regions, a gas impermeable layer correspondingly covering an area where the solid electrolyte layer is absent on the porous substrate or on the lower electrode layer. The gas impermeable layer separates gas passing inside the porous substrate and gas passing outside the porous substrate. Such a cell plate structure is suited for use in a solid electrolyte type fuel cell.

Abstract: A unit cell for a solid electrolyte fuel cell and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed as including an air electrode, a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte sandwiched between the air electrode and the fuel electrode, and a porous metallic base body joined to at lease one of the air electrode and the fuel electrode. The porous metallic base body serves to pass oxidizing gas to be supplied to the air electrode and fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel electrode while allowing a cell power output to be collected from a reacting area provided by a sandwiched body composed of the air electrode, the fuel electrode and the solid electrolyte. In the manufacturing method, a first layer serving as one of an air electrode and a fuel electrode is formed on a first porous metallic base body and a second layer composed of a solid electrolyte is formed on the first layer.

Abstract: A single cell for a fuel cell in which an air electrode or a fuel electrode includes at least two layers. The air electrode includes an adhering cathode layer formed on one surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the air electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting cathode layer formed on the adhering cathode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function of the air electrode. Alternatively, the fuel electrode includes an adhering anode layer formed on the other surface of the solid electrolyte layer and configured to show a function to allow the air electrode and the solid electrolyte layer to adhere electrically and mechanically to each other, and an electricity collecting anode layer formed on the adhering anode layer and configured to show an electricity collecting function.