2010年10月13日水曜日

Big Step toward Realization of Micro SOFCs for Small Electronics Devices

NIMS has succeeded recently in fabricating a new electrolyte thin film which enables the realization of micro SOFCs that may be used as the power sources of small electronics devices such as laptop PCs and mobile phones.
* NIMS = National Institute for Materials Science
The electrolyte thin film is a yttrium-doped barium zirconate (BaZr0.8Y0.2O3-.、BZY)thin film (BZY thin film). The BZY thin film fabricated is epitaxially oriented and relatively thick and contains no grain boundaries.

The proton conductivity of the BZY thin film is 0.01 S/cm at 350℃. This value is a minimum of proton conductivity values required for practical fuel cells. Incidentally, in this type of micro SOFC, its operation temperature must be below 450 degrees Celsius. The proton conductivity of the BZY thin film measured at 350 degrees Celsius is the highest of the oxide materials ever reported. It is also much higher than the conductivity of the oxygen ion conductor that is stable in the same temperature region.

It is said that the BZY has never been taken up as the SOFC electrolyte material because its proton conductivity is extremely low. The BZY contains much grain boundaries. The blocking effect of the grain boundaries renders the proton conductivity low. To avoid this, the study used the pulse laser deposition to fabricate the BZY thin film.
[Copyright by FuelCell japan: http://www.fcpat-japan.com/]
For somewhat more detail, visit KOKO.

2010年10月12日火曜日

Switched Reluctance Motor Supersedes Rare Earth-Contained Motors

Keywords
Rare earth, switched reluctance motor, synchronous motor, SRM, reluctance differences, interior permanent magnet synchronous motors, IPMSM, permanent magnet rotor, EV, HEV, FCV, China, Japan, collision accident, fishing boat, patrol boat, export, import

Summary
SRM was improved to have the performances comparable with those of the incumbent IPMSM. Some characteristics of the improved SRM exceeded those of the IPMSM. Creative efforts were focused on the motor structure and selection of the materials to be used, and the best combinations of them were found.
[Copyright by FuelCell japan]

The rare earth issue has been closed up recently in Japan.

Over 90% of the rare earths currently used in Japan is imported from China. Recently, the collision accident between the Chinese fishing boat and the Japanese patrol boat occurred. As the result of the
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