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[Nov 2005]
New Ceramic Electrolyte for SOFC
ESL Electro-Science (King of Prussia, PA, USA) has announced increased power density using scandia stabilised zirconia (ScSZ) electrolyte in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs).
The use of ScSZ has recently been shown to more than double the power density achieved with conventional electrolyte materials for SOFCs. ESL announced the commercial availability of ScSZ in both tape form and as a fired substrate - and claims that this is a major step forward for developers of cost efficient fuel cells.
High temperature SOFCs, based on an oxide-ion conducting electrolyte, offer a clean, low-pollution technology to electrochemically generate electricity at high efficiencies. SOFCs provide many advantages over traditional energy conversion systems. These advantages include high efficiency, reliability, modularity, fuel adaptability and very low levels of SOx and NOx emissions.
The new ScSZ ceramic is made by adding scandia to zirconia to optimise the crystal structure. The raw materials are first tape cast into a flexible sheet then sintered at high temperature. The new ScSZ exhibits improved ionic conductivity and mechanical strength while its coefficient of thermal expansion is about the same as yttria stabilised zirconia (YSZ). The use of ScSZ thus helps increase power generating characteristics of the devices while decreasing size and cost.
www.electroscience.com
ENDS