Manufacturing method and current collector

摘要

A method of forming a current collector layer on electrode layers of an electrochemical air separation element and a current collector. A slurry is prepared that contains electrically conductive particles having surface deposits of a metallic oxide on a metal or metal alloy conductor. The metallic oxide surface deposit constitutes a lower weight percentage of the electrically conductive particles than the metal or metal alloy. The slurry is applied to a structure that contains an electrolyte and electrode layers. The slurry can be applied by dip coating techniques. The resultant coated form is then fired to partly sinter the electrically conductive particles and thereby to obtain porous current collector layers affixed to the electrode layers. The current collector of the present invention is between about 5 microns and about 100 microns thick and preferably has a porosity of between about 10 percent and about 70 percent with pores having a pore size of between about 0.1 microns and about 20 microns.