Reactive deposition for electrochemical cell production

• US 20050016839A1
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanogram Corporation (Teijin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Nanogram Corporation (Teijin Limited)
• Inventors: Horne, Craig R., Mosso, Ronald J., Lynch, Robert B., McGovern, William E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,521,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/242
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/403 of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/405 of refractory metals or yttrium
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/483 using coherent light, UV to IR, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/06 Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1204 inorganic material, e.g. non-oxide and non-metallic such as sulfides, nitrides based compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1216 Metal oxides C23C18/1212 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1241 Metallic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/143 Radiation by light, e.g. photolysis or pyrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 24/00 Coating starting from inorganic powder spraying of the coating material in molten state C23C4/00; solid state diffusion C23C8/00 - C23C12/00
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 26/00 Coating not provided for in groups C23C2/00 - C23C24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1293 Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0094 in the form of layered products, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8621 containing only metallic or ceramic material, e.g. made by sintering or sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8885 Sintering or firing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9066 of metal-ceramic composites or mixtures, e.g. cermets
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/92 Metals of platinum group H01M4/94 , H01M4/9058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0271 Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0273 with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1213 characterised by the electrode/electrolyte combination or the supporting material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1246 : the electrolyte consisting of oxides
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Light reactive deposition can be adapted effectively for the deposition of one or more electrochemical cell components. In particular, electrodes, electrolytes, electrical interconnects can be deposited form a reactive flow. In some embodiments, the reactive flow comprises a reactant stream that intersects a light beam to drive a reaction within a light reactive zone to produce product that is deposited on a substrate. The approach is extremely versatile for the production of a range of compositions that are useful in electrochemical cells and fuel cell, in particular. The properties of the materials, including the density and porosity can be adjusted based on the deposition properties and any subsequent processing including, for example, heat treatments.

Claims

1. A method for the production of an electrolytic cell component, the method comprising performing sequential reactive deposition for the formation of a plurality of layers wherein at least one layer comprises an electrically conductive material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive deposition is driven by a light beam.

3. The method of 1claim 2 wherein the light beam comprises a laser beam.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive deposition is performed from a flow that comprises vapor reactants.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive deposition is performed from a flow that comprises aerosol reactants.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive deposition comprises the deposition of a metal oxide composition, metal nitride composition, metal carbide composition or combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive deposition comprises the deposition of an elemental metal or metal alloy.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive deposition comprises the deposition of two compositions.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive deposition comprises the deposition of a composition comprising a plurality of metals.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive deposition comprises the deposition of a metal carbonate.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactive deposition comprises the deposition of a doped composition.

12. A method of forming a fuel cell comprising forming a component using the method of claim 1.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising heating the component to alter the composition or physical properties of the component.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the component comprises an electrode.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the component further comprises an electrolyte layer.

16. A method for forming an electrolytic cell component, the method comprising impregnating a powder coating with a polymer to form a polymer membrane wherein the polymer is ion conducting.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the powder coating comprises an ion conducting ceramic.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the polymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene with a sulfonic acid modification.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the powder coating is in contact with an electrode layer comprising a catalyst composition.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the electrode layer is in contact with an interconnect/bipolar plate structure.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the impregnating with a polymer is performed with a polymer melt.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the impregnating with a polymer is performed with a polymer solution.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising laminating the polymer impregnated material to form a cell assembly.

24. A method for coating a rod shaped substrate, the method comprising rotating the rod within a product flow from a reactive flow.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the reactive flow intersect with a light beam to drive a reaction that forms the product flow.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the reactive flow comprises vapor reactants

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the reactive flow comprises aerosol reactants.

28. A polymer electrode membrane comprising a powder coating and an ion conducting polymer.

29. The polymer electrode membrane of claim 28 wherein the ion conducting polymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene with sulfonic acid modifications.

30. The polymer electrode membrane of claim 28 wherein the powder coating comprises an ion conducting ceramic.

31. The polymer electrode membrane of claim 28 wherein the powder coating comprises an inert ceramic material.

32. The polymer electrode membrane of claim 28 further comprising an electrode comprising a catalyst material in contact with the powder coating.

33. The polymer electrode membrane of claim 32 wherein the catalyst material comprises an elemental metal.

34. A cell assembly comprising a polymer electrode membrane of claim 28 in contact on opposite sides with an anode and a cathode wherein the anode and the cathode comprise catalyst material.

35. A power cell comprising a powder coating with primary particle size that varies along the thickness of the coating wherein the powder coating comprises an electrically conductive material.

36. The power cell of claim 35 wherein the powder coating further comprises a catalytic material.

37. The power cell of claim 36 wherein the catalyst material comprises an elemental metal or metal alloy.

38. The power cell of claim 36 wherein the catalyst material comprises a mixed metal oxide or a metal-metal oxide cermet.

39. The power cell of claim 35 further comprising an electrolyte layer adjacent the powder coating and wherein the primary particle size is smaller adjacent the electrolyte layer.

40. A fuel cell comprising an electrode with a powder coating comprising a catalyst material wherein the powder coating has a higher concentration of catalyst downstream in a reactant flow of the fuel cell.

41. The fuel cell of claim 40 wherein the catalyst comprises an elemental metal.

42. The power cell of claim 40 wherein the catalyst material comprises a mixed metal oxide or a metal-metal oxide cermet.

43. The power cell of claim 40 wherein the electrode is in contact with an interconnect/bipolar plate.

44. A method for forming an electrical interconnect, the method comprising depositing an electrically conductive coating onto an electrically conductive substrate with flow channel wherein the deposition is performed from a reactive flow.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the coating comprises an elemental metal.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein the coating comprises doped lanthanum chromite.

47. The method of claim 44 wherein the reactive flow involves a reactant stream that intersects with a light beam that drives a reaction to form a product stream.

48. The method of claim 44 wherein the electrically conductive substrate comprises elemental metal.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the elemental metal comprises stainless steel.

50. The method of claim 44 further comprising heating the coating.

51. The method of claim 44 wherein the coating comprises titanium nitride, nickel, aluminum, doped lanthinum chromite, yttrium, manganese, strontium, titanium or combinations thereof.

52. A method for forming an electrochemical cell, the method comprising performing the sequential reactive deposition of an electrode and an electrolyte.

53. A method for forming a fuel cell component, the method comprising contacting a cell assembly with a solvent to dissolve a soluble material and to form reactant flow channels to an electrode.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein the soluble material is deposited from a reactive flow onto a substrate.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein the reactive flow involves a reactant stream that intersects a light beam to form a product flow that intersects with the substrate to deposit reaction product.

56. The method of claim 53 wherein the soluble material comprises a soluble metal/metalloid composition.

57. A method for forming a component for an electrochemical cell, the method comprising depositing an electrically conductive material on a curved surface.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein the curved surface is corregated.

59. The method of claim 57 wherein the curved surface is on a rod.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the rod has a circular cross section.

61. The method of claim 59 wherein the rod has an oval cross section.

62. A method of sealing a fuel cells comprising heating a stack of cells wherein each cell has a rim that contacts the rim of an adjacent cell and wherein a sealing material is deposited along the rim, the sealing material having been deposited from a reactive flow.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the reactive flow involves a reactant flow that intersects a light beam that drives a reaction to form a product flow that intersects a substrate to the deposit the product material.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein the sealing material is a glass.

65. The method of claim 63 wherein the sealing material comprises a metal ceramic.