Solid Electrolyte Materials for Intermediate-Temperature Use are Developed Anew

SOFC generally operates at high temperatures of around 1000 degrees of C.
The high temperature operation of the SOFC limits its application range.
If the operation temperature of the SOFC could be lowered to 700 degrees of C or lower, its application range will broaden. It is said that to use the SOFC (micro SOFC) for the power sources of small electronic devices, its operation temperature must be 450°C or lower
NIMS is developing solid electrolyte materials that are applicable to the intermediate-temperature SOFC operating at intermediate temperatures within a range of 350 to 600°C.
As already described, NIMS has developed the electrolyte thin film effective at the intermediate temperatures. The electrolyte thin film is a yttrium-doped barium zirconate （BZY）thin film. The pulsed laser deposition process was used for fabricating the BZY thin film.
Recently, NIMS has additionally developed two types of solid electrolyte materials in use for the intermediate-temperature SOFC.
For somewhat more detail, visit here.

All-Solid-State Thin-Film Lithium Ion Battery: Its Trial Product is Successfully Manufactured by AIST and Toyota

AIST and TOYOTA succeeded in manufacturing a trial product of an all-solid-state thin-film lithium (Li) ion battery. The battery exhibited its charge/discharge characteristic.　This was experimentally confirmed. A positive electrode thin film (LiCoO2 or LiMn2O4), a negative electrode thin film (Li4Ti5O12), and an oxide solid electrolyte thin film were formed and laminated into a three-layered film structure by the aerosol deposition process (high speed normal temperature coating process). The three-layered film structure was placed on the metal substrate to form an all-solid state thin-film Li ion battery having a three-layered film structure. This is the first result of a research collaboration by AIST & TOYOTA for Li ion battery development.
[Copyright by FuelCell japan: http://www.fcpat-japan.com/]
To learn more, visit here.

Norway’s New Fuel Cell System – eliminate the need of hydrogen infrastructure?

A new fuel cell system is now being developed in Norway. The company that is developing the new fuel cell system is “Nordic Power Systems”. The development is carried out with support by “The Research Council of Norway”. The fuel cell system reforms regular diesel or biodiesel to produce hydrogen and the hydrogen generated drives a solid-acid fuel cell.
The new fuel cell system uses two innovative core technologies.
One of the technologies is implemented into a reformer called a “cool flame reformer”. The reformer reforms regular or biodiesel fuel into hydrogen. The regular diesel fuel is available at oil stations by anyone. This fact implies that there is no need of building the infrastructure for hydrogen filling stations.
The implications of “no need of building the infrastructure” are very significant.
The other technology is the solid-acid fuel cell technology. The solid-acid fuel cell uses a solid acid electrolyte of CsHSO4, for example, and operates in the intermediate temperature region (100 to 300 degrees C) under a non-humidity condition. Caltech (USA) developed the solid-acid fuel cell and has the patent right of it. The fuel cell is featured by low price and robustness. Currently, SAFCell (USA) is developing and manufacturing the solid-acid fuel cell.
If all goes according to plan, the unit being developed with Marshall will be ready for market launch by mid-2011, while the solid-acid fuel cell will be phased in somewhat later. An assembly plant in Høyanger, Norway, is scheduled to open in early 2012.
>> More