High operating temperature ceramic electrolyte electrochemical conversion devices

Abstract

A high operating temperature sealed assembly positioned between high thermal expansion solid components. The assembly has a seal-forming material with a glass matrix phase and a crystalline phase. The glass matrix composition consists essentially by mol percent of about 56<SiO 2 <75; 11<BaO<30; and 2<MgO<14.

1 . A high operating temperature electrochemical conversion device comprising: 
 a sealed assembly of high thermal expansion solid components with a seal having a glass matrix consisting essentially by mol percent of:      56<SiO 2 <75;  11<BaO<30; and  2<MgO<14    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the high thermal expansion solid components comprises a solid electrolyte selected from the group consisting of zirconia, ceria, yttria-stabilized zirconia, doped ceria, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is a solid oxide fuel cell.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is an electrocatalyst.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the electrocatalyst is an NOx purification electrocatalyst.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is a steam reformer.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is an oxygen electrolyzer.  
     
     
         8 . A high operating temperature electrochemical conversion device comprising: 
 a sealed assembly of high thermal expansion solid components with a seal having a glass matrix-ceramic particulate composite consisting essentially by mol percent overall of:      55<SiO 2 <65;  5<BaO<15;  25<MgO<35; and    a forsterite phase consisting of Mg 2 SiO 4 .    
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the high thermal expansion solid components comprises a solid electrolyte selected from the group consisting of zirconia, ceria, yttria-stabilized zirconia, doped ceria, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the device is a solid oxide fuel cell.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the device is an electrocatalyst.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the electrocatalyst is an NOx purification electrocatalyst.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the device is a steam reformer.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the device is an oxygen electrolyzer.  
     
     
         15 . A high operating temperature electrochemical conversion device comprising: 
 a sealed assembly of high thermal expansion solid components with an electrically-interconnecting seal having a glass matrix-particulate composite in which the matrix consists essentially by mol percent of:      56<SiO 2 <75;  11<BaO<30;  2<MgO<14; and    an electronically-conducting phase.    
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the electronically-conducting phase is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Ag, Au, stainless steel, Cr alloys, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the electronically-conducting phase is selected from the group consisting of strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM), strontium-doped lanthanum chromite, oxidized chromium-containing metal alloys, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the device is a solid oxide fuel cell.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the device is an electrocatalyst.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the electrocatalyst is an NOx purification electrocatalyst.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the device is a steam reformer.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the device is an oxygen electrolyzer.  
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the high thermal expansion solid components comprises a structural ceramic selected from the group consisting of alpha-alumina, spinel, forsterite, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         24 . A high operating temperature electrochemical conversion device comprising: 
 a seal-forming material having a glass matrix phase and a crystalline phase, the overall composition consisting essentially by mol percent of about:      55<SiO 2 <65;  5<BaO<15; and  25<MgO<35.    
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 an ion-conducting stabilized material selected from the group consisting of zirconia, ceria, yttria-stabilized zirconia, magnesia-calcia stabilized zirconia, doped ceria, and mixtures thereof;    composite porous cermets selected from the group consisting of stabilized zirconia, ceria, and metals selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Ag, Au, stainless steel, Cr alloys and mixtures thereof;    an electronically-conducting phase selected from the group consisting of strontium-doped lanthanum manganite, strontium-doped lanthanum chromite, oxidized chromium-containing metal alloys and mixtures thereof;    mixtures of the glass matrix with metals selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Ag, Au, stainless steel, chromium alloys and mixtures thereof; and    electrically-insulating structural materials selected from the group consisting of alpha-alumina, spinel, forsterite and mixtures thereof.    
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the seal-forming material provides an essentially gas-tight structure for separation of respective flows in an anode and a cathode of an electrochemical device, the device being selected from the group consisting of a solid oxide fuel cell, an oxygen electrolyzer, an oxygen-ion conductor-based chemical gas sensor, an electrocatalyst, and a NOx purification electrocatalyst.  
     
     
         27 . A high temperature electrochemical conversion device with a seal between components made from yttria-stabilized zirconia comprising: 
 a sealing glass able to tolerate extended operation at temperatures above 850° C. and having a sufficiently high coefficient of thermal expansion to match that of yttria-stabilized zirconia.