High temperature fuel cell

This is a continuation of copending International Application PCT/DE98/00660, filed Mar. 5, 1998, which designated the United States.

The invention relates to a high temperature fuel cell. It is known that, during the electrolysis of water, the water molecules are decomposed by electric current into hydrogen H 2 and oxygen O 2 . In a fuel cell, this process takes place in reverse. Through electrochemical combination of hydrogen H 2 and oxygen O 2 to form water, electric current is produced with high efficiency and, when pure hydrogen H 2 is used as combustible gas, without the emission of pollutants and carbon dioxide CO 2 . Even with technical combustible gases, for example natural gas or coal gas, and with air (which may additionally be enriched with oxygen O 2 ) instead of pure oxygen O 2 , a fuel cell produces considerably less pollutants and less carbon dioxide CO 2 than other forms of energy production which operate with fossil energy sources. The technical implementation of this principle of the fuel cell has given rise to a wide variety of solutions with different electrolytes and with operating temperatures T between 80° C. and 1000° C.

Depending on their operating temperature T, fuel cells are classified as low, medium and high temperature fuel cells, and these in turn differ in a variety of technical embodiments.

In a high temperature fuel cell stack made up of a large number of high temperature fuel cells (a fuel cell stack also being abbreviated to “stack” in the specialist literature) at least one protective layer, a contact layer, an electrolyte electrode unit, a further contact layer, a further interconnecting conducting plate, etc. are arranged in this order under an upper interconnecting conducting plate which covers the high temperature fuel cell stack.

In such a stack, the electrolyte electrode unit includes two electrodes and a solid electrolyte, formed as a membrane disposed between the two electrodes. An electrolyte electrode unit lying between neighboring interconnecting conducting plates together with the contact layers immediately adjoining both sides of the electrolyte electrode unit constitutes a high temperature fuel cell, to which the sides of each of the two interconnecting conducting plates adjoining the contact layers also belong. This and other types of fuel cells are, for example, disclosed by the “Fuel Cell Handbook” by A. J. Appleby and F. R. Foulkes, 1989, pages 440 to 454.

The performance of the electrodes or of the electrolyte electrode unit of the high temperature fuel cell is one of the factors determining the efficiency of the entire high temperature fuel cell. The essential parameters involved in this are the rates at which the fuel is converted into electrons, ions and reaction products during the electrochemical reaction, the rate at which the fuel is transported to the site of the electrochemical reaction as well as the conductivity for electrons and ions, which are needed for the electrochemical reaction to proceed. The required electron conductivity of the anode is generally achieved using a so-called “Cermet” containing a framework of metal grains (for example nickel Ni) and a suitable filler to provide ion conductivity. An electron-conductive ceramic is generally used for the cathode, which is also ion-conductive. The two electrodes and the membrane each contain an appropriate electrolyte to provide the ion conductivity of the structure.

There is a substantial problem in achieving sufficient ion conductivity in the material of each electrode. Furthermore, this ion conductivity must be provided throughout the operating time t of the high temperature fuel cell. In order to achieve this in an electrode designed as a cathode, an electrolyte is admixed with an electrically conductive base material. For example, a lanthanum strontium manganate La x Sr (1−x) MnO 3 may be used as the base material.

In the cathodes known from the prior art, the electrolyte of the cathode consists of a zirconium dioxide ZrO 2 with which a portion of yttrium oxide Y 2 O 3 is admixed. If the electrolyte contains a zirconium dioxide ZrO 2 with the admixture of 8 mol % yttrium oxide Y 2 O 3 , then at an operating temperature T of approximately 850° C., the cathode has a value of about 13.3 Ωcm for the ionic resistance. In an operating time t in excess of 1000 hours, this value for the ionic conductivity of the cathode deteriorates to 22 Ωcm. If a 10 mol % portion of yttrium oxide Y 2 O 3 is admixed with the zirconium dioxide ZrO 2 , then the cathode has a higher value of approximately 17.3 Ωcm for the ionic resistance. On the other hand, at an operating temperature t of approximately 850° C., this electrode material shows no aging behavior as a function of the operating time t, that is to say essentially no impairment of the value for the electrical resistance and therefore the value for the ionic conductivity of the cathode as well.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a high temperature fuel cell that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and that includes a cathode which has a high ionic conductivity for the cathode and substantially avoids impairment of the conductivity for the cathode with increasing operating time t.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, according to the invention, a high temperature fuel cell having a cathode which comprises at least a first layer and a second layer disposed on one side of the first layer, in which the first layer contains 30 to 60% by weight of a first electrolyte comprising zirconium oxide ZrO 2 and at least a portion of scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 , and the second layer comprises substoichiometric lanthanum strontium manganate having the formula LaSr y MnO 3 in which the sum of x and y is less than 1. In the formula given for substoichiometric lanthanum strontium manganate, x is in the range from 0.6 to 0.90 and y is in the range from 0.02 to 0.39, provided that the sum of x and y is in the range from 0.90 to 0.99. Preferably, x is in the range from 0.65 to 0.85 and y is in the range from 0.08 to 0.30, provided that the sum of x and y is in the range from 0.93 to 0.98.

This second layer promotes the take-off of the electric current I from the high temperature fuel cells. By using scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 in the first electrolyte of the cathode in accordance with this invention instead of yttrium oxide Y 2 O 3 , the value for the electrical resistance of the cathode is substantially reduced (for example halved) in comparison with the cathodes known from the prior art. The ionic conductivity is therefore at least doubled at the same time. Furthermore, the ionic conductivity is substantially constant as a function of the operating time t.

Preferably, the first electrolyte contains 8 to 13 mol % scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 , and it is particularly preferred that the first electrolyte contain 9 to 11 mol % scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 . This range for the scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 content has been experimentally found to be optimal for improving the ionic conductivity of the cathode.

In a further refinement according to the invention, the first electrode contains approximately 10 mol % scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 . At an operating temperature T of approximately 850° C., the ionic resistance has a value of about 6.2 Ωcm. Comparison with an electrolyte which contains 10 mol % yttrium oxide Y 2 O 3 instead of scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 and has an ionic resistance of approximately 17.3 Ωcm shows that the ionic resistance is reduced at least by a factor of 2 when using 10 mol % scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 . The first electrolyte containing scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 shows essentially no increase in ionic resistance as a function of operating time t for at least 1000 hours. The value of the ionic conductivity is therefore improved by at least a factor of 2 in comparison with the cathodes of the prior art.

Preferably, the first layer also contains 40 to 70% of a lanthanum strontium manganate which can be represented by the formula La x Sr y MnO 3 as the electrically conductive base material for the admixture of the first electrolyte.

In particular, the lanthanum strontium manganate LaSr y MnO 3 is preferably substoichiometric, that is to say the sum of x and y is less than 1, with the values of x, y, and the sum of x and y within the ranges given above and usually, but not necessarily, identical with the values of x, y, and their sum characterizing the substoichiometric lanthanum strontium manganate of the above-mentioned second layer. Differences if any, between the first layer and the second layer in the values of x and y are preferably small in order to minimize undesired diffusion of lanthanum or strontium between the layers.

By using substoichiometric lanthanum strontium manganate LaSr y MnO 3 in accordance with this invention, the undesirable formation of lanthanum zirconate is substantially avoided and impairment of the ionic conductivity is therefore prevented.

In a further refinement according to this invention, in the lanthanum strontium manganate LaSr y MnO 3 , x is approximately equal to 0.78 and y approximately equal to 0.20. These values for x and y have proved advantageous in practice. Preferably, the electrolyte contains up to 2.5 mol % aluminum oxide Al 2 O 3 . Scandium Sc has virtually the same ionic radius as zirconium Zr, which leads to only minor lattice distortion and consequently to satisfactory ionic conductivity. The stability of this structure is increased even further by the addition of aluminum oxide Al 2 O 3 .

When the high temperature fuel cell contains an electrolyte electrode unit which comprises the cathode, an anode and a membrane arranged between the two, the membrane preferably contains zirconium oxide ZrO 2 with an 8 to 13 mol % portion of scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 . The membrane of the electrolyte electrode unit, in other words the material at the site of the electrochemical reaction, preferably contains the same components as the first electrolyte of the cathode. The ionic conductivity of the membrane is thereby additionally improved, and the coefficient of thermal expansion is further matched to that of the material of the cathode.

The anode preferably contains 40 to 70% by weight nickel Ni and 30 to 60% by weight of a second electrolyte, which comprises zirconium oxide ZrO 2 with an 8 to 13 mol % portion of scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 . The ionic conductivity of the anode is thereby improved in comparison with the anodes known from the prior art.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a high temperature fuel cell, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The single FIGURE represents a schematic cross-section of a high temperature fuel cell.

According to the FIGURE, a high temperature fuel cell 2 comprises a solid electrolyte electrode unit (unit 4 ). The unit 4 consists of a cathode 6 , a membrane 8 and an anode 10 , which are disposed in this order above one another or below one another. The unit 4 is disposed between two interconnecting conducting plates (not shown) for supplying the unit 4 with fuel.

The cathode 6 comprises a first layer 12 and a second layer 14 , the first layer 12 being adjacent the membrane 8 . The first layer 12 of the cathode 6 consists of 30 to 60% by weight of a first electrolyte and 40 to 70% by weight of a commercially pure lanthanum strontium manganate LaSr y MnO 3 , preferably a substoichiometric lanthanum strontium manganate in which the sum of x and y in the formula is less than 1. The first electrolyte contains zirconium oxide ZrO 2 with an 8 to 13 mol % portion of scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 . Preferably, the portion of scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 in the first electrolyte is 9 to 11 mol %, in particular approximately 10 mol %.

Preferably, the proportion of scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 in the first electrolyte is 9 to 11 mol %, in particular approximately 10 mol %. Lanthanum zirconate if present in the first electrolyte can lead to impairment of the ionic conductivity of the cathode 6 . The formation of lanthanum zirconate is, however, substantially avoided by using substoichiometric lanthanum strontium manganate LaSr y MnO 3 , that is to say the sum of x and y is less than 1. Preferably, x is equal to 0.78 and y is equal to 0.20. Further, 1 mol % of aluminum oxide Al 2 O 3 is admixed with the first electrolyte of the cathode 6 in order to stabilize the lattice structure.

The thickness of the first layer 12 of the cathode 6 is 35 μ (more generally, between 5 and 50 μm). As a result, sufficient electrochemical activity of the cathode 6 , and therefore the overall high temperature fuel cell 2 , at operating temperatures T of between 750 and 850° C. is assured.

The second layer 14 adjacent to the first layer 12 consists of a substoichiometric lanthanum strontium manganate LaSr y MnO 3 . The thickness of the second layer 14 is at least 10 μm and can be up to 100 μm. Sufficient electrical conductivity of the cathode 6 is thereby obtained.

The membrane 8 , which is disposed between the cathode 6 and the anode 10 , consists of a zirconium oxide ZrO 2 with an 8 to 13 mol % portion of scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 . The membrane 8 of the unit 4 , that is to say the material at the site of the electrochemical reaction, preferably consists of the same components as the first electrolyte of the cathode 6 , possibly in somewhat modified concentrations. The ionic conductivity of the membrane 8 is thereby improved in comparison with the membranes known from the prior art, and the coefficient of thermal expansion is also matched to that of the material for the cathode 6 .

The anode 10 consists of 30 to 60% by weight of a second electrolyte and 40 to 70% by weight nickel Ni, the second electrolyte containing zirconium oxide ZrO 2 with an 8 to 13 mol % portion of scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 . The ionic conductivity of the anode 10 of the unit 4 is thereby improved in comparison with the anodes known from the prior art.

By using scandium oxide Sc 2 O 3 in the first electrolyte of the first layer 12 of the cathode 6 , instead of yttrium oxide Y 2 O 3 , the ionic resistance of the cathode is at least halved in comparison with the cathodes known from the prior art. Further, the ionic conductivity remains substantially constant as a function of the operating time t of the high temperature fuel cell 2 , that is to say no impairment upon aging of the first electrolyte is to be observed.