A FUEL CELL GAS SEPARATOR FOR USE BETWEEN SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS

摘要

A fuel cell gas separator (112) for use between two solid oxide fuel cells (110), the gas separator having a separator body (146) with an anode side and a cathode side and with paths (134) of electrically conductive material therethrough from the anode side to the cathode side in an electrode contacting zone of the separator, the electrically conductive material being Ag or a silver-containing material, an anode side coating over the electrode contacting zone comprising an anode side current collector layer (158), and a cathode side coating over the electrode contacting zone comprising a cathode side current collector layer (152), and a respective silver-barrier patch (156) directly or indirectly overlies each path of electrically conductive material on the anode side, each silver-barrier patch being sufficiently dense to prevent diffusion of Ag therethrough. In another aspect, each silver-barrier patch is offset from the paths of electrically conductive material, but still perform the function of preventing Ag that may escape from the paths of poisoning the catalytic activity of the anode. In yet another aspect, the gas separator prevents oxygen on the cathode side reaching the anode side via the paths of electrically conductive material.