E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

APPLICATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY: Gas separation Fuel cells Catalytic reactors Other devices ADVANTAGES: Enhanced catalytic properties of cathode Highly fuel efficient Almost nonpolluting
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ABSTRACT:

Berkeley Lab researchers Lutgard DeJonghe, Steven Visco, and Craig Jacobson have focused their attention on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) and related technologies. Fuel cells "burn" hydrogen or hydrocarbons to produce electricity. They are highly fuel-efficient and almost non-polluting, making them an attractive alternative for energy generation. Some solid oxide fuel cells burn hydrocarbons by first converting them to hydrogen, while others burn them directly. The latter are the leading candidates for commercial applications.

This invention allows the addition of highly reactive elements to the surface interface. These highly reactive electrode materials, known to be of value for enhancing catalytic properties of the cathode, are added where they are needed—at the surface—without sustaining the chemical reactions that occur when they are fired on. In this way, moderate performance cathodes, known to be chemically stable at firing temperatures, can be used for microstructure formation. High performance additives then can be incorporated into the electrodes without significantly altering the microstructure or creating performance-limiting reaction layers.

STATUS:

• U.S. Patent #6,682,842 and #6,846,511
• Available for licensing for fuel cells (both fixed and portable), sensors, gas preparation and separation, and other applications, with the following limitations: only non-exclusive rights are available within the field of use of preparation of industrial gases; only non-exclusive rights are available within the field of use of solid oxide fuel cells with electrical power output between 0.5kW and 40kW that are designed for installation as a permanent fixture in residential buildings and small commercial business facilities.

REFERENCE NUMBER: IB-1406

SEE THESE OTHER BERKELEY LAB TECHNOLOGIES IN THIS FIELD:

• Fail-Safe, Inexpensive Electrochemical Device Stack Design, IB-1658A
• High Quality, Dense Thin Films Using Metal/Metal Alloy Additives, IB-1654
• Improved Electrode-Electrode Structures for Solid State Electrochemical Device, IB-1405
• Inexpensive Production of High Density Thin Ceramic Films on Rigid or Porous Substrates, IB-1302
• Low Cost Fabrication of Thin-Film Ceramic Membranes for Nonshrinking Substrates, IB-1304
• Metal Current Collector Protected by Oxide Film, IB-1656
• Method for Making Flat, High Performance Thin Membrane Structures on Porous Substances, IB-1305
• Novel Support Structure for Ceramic Electrochemical Devices, IB-1418
• Support for Planar Solid State Electrochemical Devices, IB-1790