Methods for the electrochemical optimization of solid oxide fuel cell electrodes
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell which contains an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte, where at least one of the electrode contains a wash-coat composition that improves the performance of the solid oxide fuel cell. Also provided is a method for making the solid oxide fuel cell.
1. A solid oxide fuel cell comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte, wherein at least one of the anode and the cathode comprises a porous material and a wash-coat composition comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of cerium, copper, molybdenum, and tungsten, and wherein the wash-coat composition is dispersed onto at least a portion of a surface of the at least one of the anode and the cathode and into at least a portion of the pores therein.
2. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises molybdenum and tungsten.
3. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 2 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
a concentration of molybdenum of less than about 10%, w/w; and
a concentration of tungsten of less than about 10%, w/w.
4. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
molybdenum;
copper; and
cerium.
5. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 4 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
a concentration of molybdenum of less than about 10%, w/w;
a concentration of copper of less than about 15%, w/w; and
a concentration of cerium from about 5%, w/w to about 20%, w/w.
6. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
molybdenum;
tungsten; and
silver nitrate.
7. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 6 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises a concentration of silver nitrate of less than about 30%, w/w.
8. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 7 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
a concentration of cerium nitrate of less than about 15%, w/w; and
a concentration of cobalt of less than about 10%, w/w.
9. The solid oxide fUel cell of claim 6 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
a concentration of tungsten of about 2%, w/w; and
a concentration of molybdenum of about 2%, w/w.
10. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
a nitrate salt of cerium; and
a salt of molybdenum.
11. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
a concentration of a nitrate salt of cerium of about 5%, w/w to about 30%, w/w; and
a concentration of a salt of molybdenum of about 1%, w/w to about 10%, w/w.
12. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein the wash-coat composition further comprises:
a nitrate salt of copper;
a nitrate salt of iron; and
a nitrate salt of nickel.
13. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 12 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
a concentration of a nitrate salt of copper of about 5%, w/w to about 20%, w/w;
a concentration of a nitrate salt of iron of about 5%, w/w to about 10%, w/w; and
a concentration of a nitrate salt of nickel of about 5%, w/w to about 20%, w/w.
14. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
a salt of cerium;
a salt of cobalt;
a salt of molybdenum; and
a salt of tungsten.
15. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 14 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
a concentration of a salt of cerium from about 5%, w/w to about 20%, w/w;
a concentration of a salt of cobalt of less than about 15%, w/w;
a concentration of a salt of molybdenum of less than about 10%, w/w; and
a concentration of a salt of tungsten from about 1%, w/w to about 20%, w/w.
16. The solid oxide fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the wash-coat composition comprises:
a concentration of a salt of molybdenum of about 1%, w/w to about 5%, w/w;
a concentration of a nitrate salt of copper of about 5%, w/w to about 20%, w/w;
a concentration of a nitrate salt of cerium of about 5%, w/w to about 10%, w/w; and
a concentration of a nitrate salt of nickel of about 5%, w/w to about 20%, w/w.
17. A solid oxide fuel cell comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte, wherein at least one of the anode and the cathode comprises a porous material and a wash-coat composition dispersed onto at least a portion of a surface of the at least one of the anode and the cathode and into at least a portion of the pores therein, wherein the wash-coat composition comprises a salt of molybdenum in a concentration from about 1%, w/w to about 10%, w/w.
18. A solid oxide fuel cell comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte, wherein at least one of the anode and the cathode comprises a porous material and a wash-coat composition dispersed onto at least a portion of a surface of the at least one of the anode and the cathode and into at least a portion of the pores therein, wherein the wash-coat composition comprises a salt of cerium in a concentration from about 5%, w/w to about 30%, w/w.