IP Library Granted Patent US 10,985,384
Granted Patent B2
US 10,985,384 · App. 15/868,001 · Granted Apr 20, 2021

Corrosion resistant current collector for high-temperature fuel cell

Inventors: Ling Chen (Woodbury, CT); Chao-Yi Yuh (New Milford, CT)
Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
H01M8/021H01M8/0206H01M8/0228H01M8/0245H01M8/0254H01M8/145C22C38/02C22C38/44C22C38/52C22C38/58H01M2008/147
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,985,384
App. No.
15/868,001
Granted
Apr 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cathode current collector is made from a composite material including a first metallic layer made of a first metal and a second metallic layer made of a second metal different from the first metal. The first metallic layer is cladded with the second metallic layer. The first metallic layer is configured to form a conductive oxide corrosion layer in the presence of oxygen, molten carbonate electrolyte, or a combination thereof. The second metallic layer is corrosion resistant.

Claims (63)

1. A cathode current collector comprising:

a composite material including a first metallic layer comprising a first metal and a second metallic layer comprising a second metal different from the first metal, the first metallic layer being cladded with the second metallic layer, wherein:

the first metallic layer is in direct contact with a cathode;

the first metallic layer comprises 16-22 wt % chromium, 7-25 wt % nickel, 2-10 wt % manganese, 0-3 wt % molybdenum, 0-3 wt % cobalt, 0-2 wt % silicon, and a balance of iron and impurity;

the second metallic layer is corrosion resistant; and

the second metallic layer is not in direct contact with the cathode.

2. The cathode current collector of claim 1 , wherein:

the first metallic layer comprises a ferritic stainless steel including chromium, manganese, molybdenum, and iron; and

the second metallic layer comprises a stainless steel including chromium, nickel, manganese, silicon, molybdenum and iron.

3. The cathode current collector of claim 1 , wherein:

the first metallic layer comprises an austenitic stainless steel including chromium, nickel, manganese, molybdenum, cobalt, silicon and iron; and

the second metallic layer comprises a stainless steel including chromium, nickel, manganese, silicon, molybdenum and iron.

4. The cathode current collector of claim 1 , wherein the second metallic layer comprises 22-26 wt % chromium, 12-45 wt % nickel, 0-2 wt % manganese, 0-2 wt % silicon, 0-3 wt % molybdenum, and a balance of iron and impurity.

5. The cathode current collector of claim 1 , wherein:

the first metallic layer comprises 16-22 wt % chromium, 0-2 wt % manganese, 0-3 wt % molybdenum, and a balance of iron and impurity; and

the second metallic layer comprises 22-26 wt % chromium, 12-45 wt % nickel, 0-2 wt % manganese, 0-2 wt % silicon, 0-3 wt % molybdenum, and a balance of iron and impurity.

6. The cathode current collector of claim 1 , wherein:

the first metallic layer comprises a Type 304 stainless steel, a Type 316 stainless steel, a Type 347 stainless steel, a Type 13RM19 stainless steel, or a Nitronic 50 stainless steel; and

the second metallic layer comprises a Type 309 stainless steel, a Type 310 stainless steel, a Type 314 stainless steel, or an Incoloy 800 stainless steel.

7. The cathode current collector of claim 1 , wherein:

the first metallic layer comprises a Type 430 stainless steel, a Type 441 stainless steel, a Type 444 stainless steel, or a Croffer 22 stainless steel; and

the second metallic layer comprises a Type 309 stainless steel, a Type 310 stainless steel, a Type 314 stainless steel, or an Incoloy 800 stainless steel.

8. The cathode current collector of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the second metallic layer is greater than a thickness of the first metallic layer.

9. The cathode current collector of claim 8 , wherein:

the thickness of the first metallic layer is between 75 μm and 150 μm; and

the thickness of the second metallic layer is between 150 μm and 400 μm.

10. A fuel cell comprising:

a cathode assembly including a cathode and a cathode current collector;

an anode assembly including an anode and an anode current collector; and

an electrolyte matrix provided between the cathode assembly and the anode assembly; wherein:

the cathode current collector comprises a composite material including a first metallic layer comprising a first metal and a second metallic layer comprising of a second metal different from the first metal, the first metallic layer being cladded with the second metallic layer;

the first metallic layer is in direct contact with the cathode;

the first metallic layer comprises 16-22 wt % chromium, 7-25 wt % nickel, 2-10 wt % manganese, 0-3 wt % molybdenum, 0-3 wt % cobalt, 0-2 wt % silicon, and a balance of iron and impurity;

the second metallic layer is corrosion resistant; and

the second metallic layer is not in direct contact with the cathode.

11. The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein:

the first metallic layer comprises a ferritic stainless steel including chromium, manganese, molybdenum, and iron; and

the second metallic layer comprises a stainless steel including chromium, nickel, manganese, silicon, molybdenum and iron.

12. The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein:

the first metallic layer comprises an austenitic stainless steel including chromium, nickel, manganese, molybdenum, cobalt, silicon and iron; and

the second metallic layer comprises a stainless steel including chromium, nickel, manganese, silicon, molybdenum and iron.

13. The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein the second metallic layer comprises 22-26 wt % chromium, 12-45 wt % nickel, 0-2 wt % manganese, 0-2 wt % silicon, 0-3 wt % molybdenum, and a balance of iron and impurity.

14. The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein:

the first metallic layer comprises 16-22 wt % chromium, 0-2 wt % manganese, 0-3 wt % molybdenum, and a balance of iron and impurity; and

the second metallic layer comprises 22-26 wt % chromium, 12-45 wt % nickel, 0-2 wt % manganese, 0-2 wt % silicon, 0-3 wt % molybdenum, and a balance of iron and impurity.

15. The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein:

the first metallic layer comprises a Type 304 stainless steel, a Type 316 stainless steel, a Type 347 stainless steel, or a Type 13RM19 stainless steel, or a Nitronic 50 stainless steel; and

the second metallic layer comprises a Type 309 stainless steel, a Type 310 stainless steel, a Type 314 stainless steel, a RA333 stainless steel, a Sanicro25 stainless steel, a Sanicro28 stainless steel, or an Incoloy 800 stainless steel.

16. The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein:

the first metallic layer comprises a Type 430 stainless steel, a Type 441 stainless steel, a Type 444 stainless steel, or a Croffer 22 stainless steel; and

the second metallic layer comprises a Type 309 stainless steel, a Type 310 stainless steel, a Type 314 stainless steel, a RA333 stainless steel, a Sanicro25 stainless steel, a Sanicro28 stainless steel, or an Incoloy 800 stainless steel.

17. The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein a thickness of the second metallic layer is greater than a thickness of the first metallic layer.

18. The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein:

the fuel cell is a molten carbonate fuel cell; and

the electrolyte matrix comprises a molten alkali carbonate electrolyte.

19. A method of manufacturing a cathode current collector of a fuel cell, the fuel cell comprising a cathode assembly including a cathode and the cathode current collector, an anode assembly including an anode and an anode current collector, and an electrolyte matrix provided between the cathode assembly and the anode assembly, the method comprising:

producing a composite material including a first metallic layer comprising of a first metal and a second metallic layer comprising of a second metal different from the first metal, the composite material being produced by cladding the first metallic layer with the second metallic layer; and

forming the composite material into a desired shape and size of the cathode current collector; wherein:

the first metallic layer is in direct contact with the cathode

the first metallic layer comprises 16-22 wt % chromium, 7-25 wt % nickel, 2-10 wt % manganese, 0-3 wt % molybdenum, 0-3 wt % cobalt, 0-2 wt % silicon, and a balance of iron and impurity;

the second metallic layer is corrosion resistant; and

the second metallic layer is not in direct contact with the cathode.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein cladding the first metallic layer with the second metallic layer comprises extruding a metal comprising the first metallic layer and a metal comprising the second metallic layer, roll bonding or diffusion bonding the first metallic layer and the second metallic layer, or pressing a sheet of the metal comprising the first metallic layer and a sheet of the metal comprising the second metallic layer together under pressure.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2020
From: ORION ENERGY PARTNERS INVESTMENT AGENT, LLC
To: FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 054545/0803 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2019
From: FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.
To: ORION ENERGY PARTNERS INVESTMENT AGENT, LLC
Reel/Frame 050899/0262 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2019
From: CHEN, LING; YUH, CHAO-YI
To: FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050791/0875 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190214653A1 · Jul 11, 2019