A gasket for sealing two mating surfaces of a fuel cell is described. The gasket has a core layer comprising exfoliated vermiculite. The core layer is interposed between a first and second coating layer, the said coating layers each comprising glass, glass-ceramic and/or ceramic material. Methods for producing gaskets according to the invention are also described. A solid oxide cell or a solid oxide cell component comprising one or more of the gaskets; use of the gasket to improve sealing properties in a solid oxide cell; and a method of producing a solid oxide cell or of sealing a solid oxide cell comprising incorporating at least one of the gaskets into the solid oxide cell are also defined.

A gasket for sealing two mating surfaces of a fuel cell is described. The gasket has a core layer comprising exfoliated vermiculite. The core layer is interposed between a first and second coating layer, the said coating layers each comprising glass, glass-ceramic and/or ceramic material. Methods for producing gaskets according to the invention are also described. A solid oxide cell or a solid oxide cell component comprising one or more of the gaskets; use of the gasket to improve sealing properties in a solid oxide cell; and a method of producing a solid oxide cell or of sealing a solid oxide cell comprising incorporating at least one of the gaskets into the solid oxide cell are also defined.

Disclosed is a sealing glass composition substantially not containing B.sub.2O.sub.3 or Al.sub.2O.sub.3, which is a high-strength, high-expansive crystallizing glass composition that can be used at high temperatures of not less than 950° C. The composition substantially not containing boron oxide, alkali metal oxides or aluminum oxide, but containing, in mol %, SiO.sub.2: 40-55, BaO: 18-35, TiO.sub.2+ZrO.sub.2: 0.1-10, ZnO: 0-15, CaO: 0-20, MgO: 0-9, SrO: 0-5, and La.sub.2O.sub.3: 0-2, wherein the total content of RO (R: Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Zn) is at least 44 mol %, and wherein the glass composition, when fired in the form of glass powder at a temperature of 850-1050° C, turns into a crystallized glass that exhibits a thermal expansion coefficient of 90-150×10.sup.−7/° C. in the range of 50-850° C.

Disclosed is a sealing glass composition substantially not containing B.sub.2O.sub.3 or Al.sub.2O.sub.3, which is a high-strength, high-expansive crystallizing glass composition that can be used at high temperatures of not less than 950° C. The composition substantially not containing boron oxide, alkali metal oxides or aluminum oxide, but containing, in mol %, SiO.sub.2: 40-55, BaO: 18-35, TiO.sub.2+ZrO.sub.2: 0.1-10, ZnO: 0-15, CaO: 0-20, MgO: 0-9, SrO: 0-5, and La.sub.2O.sub.3: 0-2, wherein the total content of RO (R: Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Zn) is at least 44 mol %, and wherein the glass composition, when fired in the form of glass powder at a temperature of 850-1050° C, turns into a crystallized glass that exhibits a thermal expansion coefficient of 90-150×10.sup.−7/° C. in the range of 50-850° C.

An aircraft fuel cell seal and methods of its use. The disclosed seal takes the form of a pre-cured, partially hollow elongate member that does not subtend a complete circle, but rather leaves an elongate gap in the member that can be placed over an edge or fillet of a fuel cell. In some cases, chambers within the member may be filled with wet sealant to provide redundant protection against EME effects.

Flow batteries can be constructed by combining multiple electrochemical unit cells together with one another in a cell stack. High-throughput processes for fabricating electrochemical unit cells can include providing materials from rolled sources for forming a soft goods assembly and a hard goods assembly, supplying the materials to a production line, and forming an electrochemical unit cell having a bipolar plate disposed on opposite sides of a separator. The electrochemical unit cells can have configurations such that bipolar plates are shared between adjacent electrochemical unit cells in a cell stack, or such that bipolar plates between adjacent electrochemical unit cells are abutted together with one another in a cell stack.

Flow batteries can be constructed by combining multiple electrochemical unit cells together with one another in a cell stack. High-throughput processes for fabricating electrochemical unit cells can include providing materials from rolled sources for forming a soft goods assembly and a hard goods assembly, supplying the materials to a production line, and forming an electrochemical unit cell having a bipolar plate disposed on opposite sides of a separator. The electrochemical unit cells can have configurations such that bipolar plates are shared between adjacent electrochemical unit cells in a cell stack, or such that bipolar plates between adjacent electrochemical unit cells are abutted together with one another in a cell stack.

A bipolar plate assembly with integrated seal for a fuel cell with a subassembly having a formed metal cathode plate bonded to a formed metal anode plate. On at least one of the plates, two raised continuous ridges are formed on the outward surface of and around the perimeter of the plate, thereby creating a channel to contain the seal. In this design, a substantial portion of the channel area on the inward surface of the plate is in direct contact with and supported by the other plate. The channel and hence the seal are thus well supported during molding and under compression in the assembled fuel cell. Further, ducts traversing the seal region can advantageously be formed without affecting the functioning of the seal.

A bipolar plate assembly with integrated seal for a fuel cell with a subassembly having a formed metal cathode plate bonded to a formed metal anode plate. On at least one of the plates, two raised continuous ridges are formed on the outward surface of and around the perimeter of the plate, thereby creating a channel to contain the seal. In this design, a substantial portion of the channel area on the inward surface of the plate is in direct contact with and supported by the other plate. The channel and hence the seal are thus well supported during molding and under compression in the assembled fuel cell. Further, ducts traversing the seal region can advantageously be formed without affecting the functioning of the seal.

A separator assembly for a fuel cell having an anode separator, a cathode separator, a cooling surface frame, and a gasket. In particular, the cooling surface frame is integrally bonded between peripheral portions of the anode separator and the cathode separator. Additionally, the gasket encloses the peripheral portions of the anode separator and the cathode separator between which the cooling surface frame is interposed.