METASTABLE CERAMIC FUEL CELL AND METHOD

摘要

A solid oxide fuel cell has anode, cathode and electrolyte layers each formed essentially of a multi-oxide ceramic material and having a far-from-equilibrum, metastable structure from the group consisting of nanocrystaline, nanocomposite and amorphous. The electrolyte layer has a matrix of the ceramic material, and is impervious and serves as a fast oxygen ion conductor. The electrolyte layer has a matrix of the ceramic material and a dopant dispersed therein in an amount substantially greater than its equilibrium solubility in the ceramic matrix. The anode layer includes a continuous surface area metallic phase in which electron conduction is provided by metallic phase and the multi-oxide ceramic matrix provides ionic conduction.