This fuel cell technology is a thin composite membrane of c-axis aligned hydroxyapatite single crystals to optimize proton transport grown on a palladium alloy membrane base. Applications: This membrane is intended to enable a new class of fuel cells to operate in the temperature range of 200-600oC. It may also be useful in gas sensors and electro-catalytic devices.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC\'s) are a rapidly maturing form of alternative (clean) energy that is seeing greater media and investment coverage in recent years see Bloom Energy as a leading example. However one challenge in building cost effective SOFC\'s is the high cost of integrating each cell into a stack and effectively routing the necessary air and fuel to each anode and cathode at each cell within the stack.

A solid oxide fuel cell having a multichannel electrode architecture and method for preparing the same the method including forming a first carbon laden composition including a first thermoplastic binder into a rod applying a first zirconia laden composition including a second thermoplastic binder onto the rod to form a composite feed rod extruding the composite feed rod to form a controlled geometry filament bundling the extruded composite feed rod to form a multicellular feed rod extruding the multicellular feed rod to form a multicellular rod cutting the multicellular rod into multicellu

A team of Stanford engineers have developed a low-cost easy to fabricate membrane electrode assembly (MEA) that is nano-patterned to increase electrode reaction surface area in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). These electrolytes are created with nano-sphere lithography techniques that eliminate the need for photo-lithography intensive steps. The resulting MEA has a thin electrolyte layer shaped into 3-D close-packed hexagonal pyramid arrays. This architecture reduces ohmic loss for better performance at operating temperature between 400-500oC.

A solid oxide fuel cell design and process has been developed at Northwestern to accommodate direct use of hydrocarbon fuels without chemical reforming. Conditions to foster stable operation below 800°C without coke formation have been demonstrated. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) continue to promise clean power generation. Utilization of hydrogen and reformed hydrocarbon feed stocks for fuel cells are both well established. Direct fuel cell oxidation of hydrocarbons such as methane and natural gas afford the potential for significant construction and operational efficiencies and economy.

Stanford researchers have patented a new method for preparing an improved solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and its membrane electrode assembly using a proton conducting solid perovskite electrolyte containing nano and micro grains of yttrium-doped barium zirconate. This method of preparing a fuel cell improves the ion conductivity of an electrolyte membrane at a low temperature and a membrane electrode assembly of a solid oxide fuel cell prepared by the method can improve ion conductivity at a low temperature.

Stanford researchers have patented a low-cost highly active catalyst that is stable over time and in different chemical environments. This catalyst has a number of advantages over platinum the current favored catalyst used in fuel cells. The cost of the materials is roughly 1/10000 the cost of platinum meaning this catalyst could dramatically reduce the cost of fuel cells (currently the material cost of the platinum catalyst may be up to 25% of the entire system cost).

This patented thin film solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology takes advantage NEMS/MEMS fabrication methods and nano-scaling effects to create a high efficiency electrolyte membrane. The fuel cell is designed with an architecture (either an array of nano-sized tubes or a patterned multilayer film) that provides structural strength to the membrane while reducing ionic conduction loss enhancing ionic conductivity and lowering electrical loss. In turn these features lower the operating temperature of the system and increase the reaction surface area.

There are various types of fuel cells each classified according to the type of electrolyte used in the cell. IN the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) the electrolyte consists of a solid nonporous metal oxide. A major advantage of the SOFC over other types of fuel cells is its high exhaust temperature. Current SOFC’s operate near 1000° C with recent developments moving that figure towards 700° C.

Solid oxide fuels cells (SOFCs) potentially offer an efficient fuel flexible low emission and relatively low cost means of producing electricity. One of the most popular methods for producing the cathode of the current generation of fuel cells involves the use of organic solvent based inks. Inks used in the manufacture of solid oxide fuel cells have some problems in use. They can be volatile so have a short usage life due to evaporation; many of the solvents used also pose a risk to workers unless handled carefully.