Textile derived solid oxide fuel cell system
The present invention provides a novel article of manufacture, which includes a structure having at least two surfaces and a plurality of void passages. The present invention also provides a method of making an article of manufacture that includes a structure having at least one void passage, and the article of manufacture produced therewith, including (a) coating a pre-form with a coating composition; and (b) destructively removing the pre-form thereby producing the structure with the at least one void passage. Further provided is a method of making a fuel cell electrode, and a fuel cell containing the electrode produced therewith.
1 . An article of manufacture comprising a structure having at least two surfaces and a plurality of void passages wherein:
(a) each of the plurality of void passages comprises at least a first end and a second end and each of the ends communicates with a different surface thereby providing a conduit between the two surfaces;
(b) at least one of the plurality of void passages provides a conduit that essentially does not communicate with a conduit provided by another of the plurality of void passages;
(c) at least one of the plurality of void passages provides a conduit that has a direction that deviates from a straight direction at at least one point along a length of the conduit; and
(d) the section of the article of manufacture between the plurality of void passages is substantially occupied by solid materials.
2 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein the structure is made of a ceramic material.
3 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises a catalyst.
4 . The article of manufacture of claim 3 , wherein the catalyst is functionally incorporated into a surface of at least one of the plurality of void passages.
5 . The article of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises a high surface area coating.
6 . An article of manufacture comprising a structure having at least one void passage obtained in accordance with a process comprising:
(a) coating a pre-form with a coating composition; and
(b) destructively removing the pre-form thereby producing the at least one void passage in the structure.
7 . The article of manufacture of claim 6 , wherein the pre-form comprises a textile.
8 . The article of manufacture of claim 7 , wherein the textile comprises at least one fiber selected from the group consisting of a natural fiber, a semi-synthetic fiber, and a synthetic fiber.
9 . The article of manufacture of claim 7 , wherein the textile is arranged in accordance with a pre-determined pattern.
10 . The article of manufacture of claim 7 , wherein the textile comprises a plurality of interweaving fibers.
11 . The article of manufacture of claim 6 , wherein the pre-form comprises a polymer material.
12 . The article of manufacture of claim 6 , wherein the coating composition comprises a cermet.
13 . The article of manufacture of claim 6 , wherein the coating composition comprises a catalyst.
14 . The article of manufacture of claim 6 , wherein the catalyst is functionally incorporated into a surface of the at least one void passage.
15 . The article of manufacture of claim 6 , further comprising coating the coated pre-form of step (a) with at least one other coating composition.
16 . The article of manufacture of claim 6 , further comprising coating the structure with at least one other coating composition.
17 . The article of manufacture of claim 6 , further comprises coating the structure with a high surface area coating material.
18 . The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the high surface area coating material is selected from the group consisting of gamma-alumina and a mixture of gamma-alumina and alpha-alumina.
19 . The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the high surface area coating material comprises a catalyst.
20 . The article of manufacture of claim 6 , further comprises coating the pre-form with a catalyst composition before the step (a).
21 . A fuel cell comprising at least one electrode obtained in accordance with a process comprising:
(a) coating a pre-form with an electrode composition; and
(b) destructively removing the pre-form thereby producing an electrode with at least one void passage in the electrode.
22 . The fuel cell of claim 21 , wherein the at least one electrode is at least one of anode and cathode.
23 . The fuel cell of claim 21 , wherein the pre-form comprises a textile.
24 . The fuel cell of claim 23 , wherein the textile comprises at least one fiber selected from the group consisting of a natural fiber, a semi-synthetic fiber, and a synthetic fiber.
25 . The fuel cell of claim 23 , wherein the textile is arranged in accordance with a pre-determined pattern.
26 . The fuel cell of claim 23 , wherein the textile comprises a plurality of interweaving fibers.
27 . The fuel cell of claim 21 , wherein the pre-form comprises a polymer material.
28 . The fuel cell of claim 21 , wherein the electrode composition comprises a cermet.
29 . The fuel cell of claim 21 , wherein the electrode composition comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of nickel, yttria-stabilized zirconia (“YSZ”), and a mixture of nickel and YSZ.
30 . The fuel cell of claim 21 , wherein the electrode composition further comprises a reforming catalyst.
31 . The fuel cell of claim 21 , further comprising coating the coated pre-form of step (a) with at least one other electrode composition.
32 . The fuel cell of claim 31 , wherein both the electrode composition and the at least one other electrode composition comprise a mixture of nickel and YSZ and wherein the content of YSZ of the at least one other electrode composition is higher than that of the electrode composition.
33 . The fuel cell of claim 21 , further comprising coating the electrode with at least one other electrode composition.
34 . The fuel cell of claim 33 , wherein both the electrode composition and the at least one other electrode composition comprise a mixture of nickel and YSZ and wherein the content of YSZ of the at least one other electrode composition is higher than that of the electrode composition.
35 . The fuel cell of claim 21 , further comprises coating the electrode with a high surface area coating material.
36 . The fuel cell of claim 35 , wherein the high surface area coating material is selected from the group consisting of gamma-alumina and a mixture of gamma-alumina and alpha-alumina.
37 . The fuel cell of claim 35 , wherein the high surface area coating material comprises a catalyst.
38 . The fuel cell of claim 37 , wherein the catalyst comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, and iridium.
39 . The fuel cell of claim 21 , further comprises coating the pre-form with a catalyst composition before the step (a), wherein the catalyst composition catalyzes partial oxidation of a fuel.
40 . The fuel cell of claim 21 , further comprises coating the pre-form with a catalyst composition before the step (a), wherein the catalyst composition catalyzes combustion of a fuel.
41 . A fuel cell system comprising the fuel cell of claim 21 .
42 . A method of making an article of manufacture comprising a structure having at least one void passage comprising:
(a) coating a pre-form with a coating composition; and
(b) destructively removing the pre-form thereby producing the at least one void passage in the structure
43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the pre-form comprises a textile.
44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the textile comprises at least one fiber selected from the group consisting of a natural fiber, a semi-synthetic fiber, and a synthetic fiber.
45 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the textile is arranged in accordance with a pre-determined pattern.
46 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the textile comprises a plurality of interweaving fibers.
47 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the pre-form comprises a polymer material.
48 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the coating composition comprises a cermet.
49 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the coating composition comprises a catalyst.
50 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the catalyst is functionally incorporated into the at least one void passage.
51 . The method of claim 42 , further comprising coating the coated pre-form of step (a) with at least one other coating composition.
52 . The method of claim 42 , further comprising coating the structure with at least one other coating composition.
53 . The method of claim 42 , further comprises coating the structure with a high surface area coating material.
54 . The method of claim 53 , wherein the high surface area coating material is selected from the group consisting of gamma-alumina and a mixture of gamma-alumina and alpha-alumina.
55 . The method of claim 53 , wherein the high surface area coating material comprises a catalyst.
56 . The method of claim 42 , further comprises coating the pre-form with a catalyst composition before the step (a).
57 . A method for making a fuel cell electrode comprising:
(a) coating a pre-form with an electrode composition; and
(b) destructively removing the pre-form thereby producing an electrode with at least one void passage in the electrode.
58 . The method of claim 57 , wherein the fuel cell electrode is one of anode and cathode.
59 . The fuel cell of claim 57 , wherein the pre-form comprises a textile.
60 . The method of claim 59 , wherein the textile comprises at least one fiber selected from the group consisting of a natural fiber, a semi-synthetic fiber, and a synthetic fiber.
61 . The method of claim 59 , wherein the textile is arranged in accordance with a pre-determined pattern.
62 . The method of claim 59 , wherein the textile comprises a plurality of interweaving fibers.
63 . The method of claim 57 , wherein the pre-form comprises a porous material.
64 . The method of claim 57 , wherein the electrode composition comprises a cermet.
65 . The method of claim 57 , wherein the electrode composition comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of nickel, yttria-stabilized zirconia (“YSZ”), and a mixture of nickel and YSZ.
66 . The method of claim 57 , wherein the electrode composition further comprises a reforming catalyst.
67 . The method of claim 57 , further comprising coating the coated pre-form of step (a) with at least one other electrode composition.
68 . The method of claim 67 , wherein both the electrode composition and the at least one other electrode composition comprise a mixture of nickel and YSZ and wherein the content of YSZ of the at least one other electrode composition is higher than that of the electrode composition.
69 . The method of claim 57 , further comprising coating the electrode with at least one other electrode composition.
70 . The method of claim 69 , wherein both the electrode composition and the at least one other electrode composition comprise a mixture of nickel and YSZ and wherein the content of YSZ of the at least one other electrode composition is higher than that of the electrode composition.
71 . The method of claim 57 , further comprises coating the electrode with a high surface area coating material.
72 . The method of claim 71 , wherein the high surface area coating material is selected from the group consisting of gamma-alumina and a mixture of gamma-alumina and alpha-alumina.
73 . The method of claim 71 , wherein the high surface area coating material comprises a catalyst.
74 . The method of claim 73 , wherein the catalyst comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, and iridium.
75 . The method of claim 57 , further comprises coating the pre-form with a catalyst composition before the step (a), wherein the catalyst composition catalyzes partial oxidation of a fuel.
76 . The method of claim 57 , further comprises coating the pre-form with a catalyst composition before the step (a), wherein the catalyst composition catalyzes combustion of a fuel.