APPLICABILITY OF HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS TO THE SEPARATOR OF PLANAR TYPE SOLID OXIDE FUEL-CELL

Generally metallic materials are much more machinable and have higher capacity for conducting electricity and heat than ceramics. But in a h igh temperature oxidizing atmosphere, metals are oxidized and lose the ir conductivity. The usability of heat resisting alloys as solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) separators was evaluated, and the effects of the ele ctrical conductive oxide coating onto the alloys on the oxidation resi stance and the electrical conductivity was tested. Cr2O3-forming alloy s which were coated with La0.85Sr0.15CoO3 exhibited electrical resista nce as low as 5 m Omega cm(2) for 8000 h at 1273 K in air. A fuel cell with the coated alloy separator generated 0.73 V at 300 mA/cm(2).