Provided are a metal plate configured such that sufficient strength and performance are ensured and the workability and cost of mass production are improved, and an electrochemical element and the like including the metal plate. A metal plate 1 includes a thick portion 110, and a thin portion 120 that is thinner than the thick portion 110. The thin portion 120 is provided with a penetration space 1c passing through the thin portion 120 in the thickness direction.

A solid oxide fuel cell including a hydrocarbon reforming catalyst and a method for forming the solid oxide fuel cell are provided. An exemplary solid oxide fuel cell includes a cell. The cell includes a filled metal substrate including holes substantially filled with a permeable material that includes a hydrocarbon reforming catalyst, wherein the filled metal substrate has a front facing a fuel flow and a back facing an electrochemical stack. A permeable layer is formed on the back of the filled metal substrate that is in contact with the permeable material of the filled holes. The cell includes an anode layer proximate to the permeable layer, an electrolyte layer proximate to the anode layer, a diffusion barrier proximate to the anode layer, and a cathode proximate to the diffusion barrier.

A fuel cell column includes first and second fuel cell stacks, a fuel manifold disposed between the first and second fuel cell stacks and configured to provide fuel to the first and second fuel cell stacks, and first and second dielectric separators located between the fuel manifold and the respective first and second fuel cell stacks, and configured to electrically isolate the respective first and second fuel cell stacks from the fuel manifold. The first and second dielectric separators each include a top layer of a ceramic material, a bottom layer of the ceramic material, a middle layer disposed between the top and bottom layers and including a material having a lower density and a higher dielectric strength than the ceramic material, and glass or glass ceramic seals which connect the middle layer to the top and bottom layers.

A fuel cell column includes first and second fuel cell stacks, a fuel manifold disposed between the first and second fuel cell stacks and configured to provide fuel to the first and second fuel cell stacks, and first and second dielectric separators located between the fuel manifold and the respective first and second fuel cell stacks, and configured to electrically isolate the respective first and second fuel cell stacks from the fuel manifold. The first and second dielectric separators each include a top layer of a ceramic material, a bottom layer of the ceramic material, a middle layer disposed between the top and bottom layers and including a material having a lower density and a higher dielectric strength than the ceramic material, and glass or glass ceramic seals which connect the middle layer to the top and bottom layers.

A single fuel cell according to the present disclosure includes a power generation section, a power non-generation section which does not include the power generation section, and an oxygen-ion-insulating gas seal film arranged so as to cover the surface of the power non-generation section, and the gas seal film is configured by a structure formed by firing a material containing MTiO.sub.3 (M: alkaline earth metal element) and metal oxide. The structure may include a first structure and a second structure which are different in composition, the first structure may include components derived from MTiO.sub.3 in larger amounts than the second structure, the second structure may include a metal element contained in the metal oxide in a larger amount than the first structure, and the area ratio of the second structure in the structure may be not less than 1% and not more than 50%.

The disclosure relates to a brazing method for joining substrates, in particular where one of the substrates is difficult to wet with molten braze material. The method includes formation of a porous metal layer on a first substrate to assist wetting of the first substrate with a molten braze metal, which in turn permits joining of the first substrate with a second substrate via a braze metal later in an assembled brazed joint. Ceramic substrates can be particularly difficult to wet with molten braze metals, and the disclosed method can be used to join a ceramic substrate to another substrate. The brazed joint can be incorporated into a solid-oxide fuel cell, for example as a stack component thereof, in particular when the first substrate is a ceramic substrate and the joined substrate is a metallic substrate.

The disclosure relates to a brazing method for joining substrates, in particular where one of the substrates is difficult to wet with molten braze material. The method includes formation of a porous metal layer on a first substrate to assist wetting of the first substrate with a molten braze metal, which in turn permits joining of the first substrate with a second substrate via a braze metal later in an assembled brazed joint. Ceramic substrates can be particularly difficult to wet with molten braze metals, and the disclosed method can be used to join a ceramic substrate to another substrate. The brazed joint can be incorporated into a solid-oxide fuel cell, for example as a stack component thereof, in particular when the first substrate is a ceramic substrate and the joined substrate is a metallic substrate.

A solid oxide fuel cell including a hydrocarbon reforming catalyst and a method for forming the solid oxide fuel cell are provided. An exemplary solid oxide fuel cell includes a cell. The cell includes a filled metal substrate including holes substantially filled with a permeable material that includes a hydrocarbon reforming catalyst, wherein the filled metal substrate has a front facing a fuel flow and a back facing an electrochemical stack. A permeable layer is formed on the back of the filled metal substrate that is in contact with the permeable material of the filled holes. The cell includes an anode layer proximate to the permeable layer, an electrolyte layer proximate to the anode layer, a diffusion barrier proximate to the anode layer, and a cathode proximate to the diffusion barrier.

A fuel cell comprising an indium tin oxide cathode contact is in physical contact subjacent an upper interconnect and in physical contact superjacent a cathode. In this fuel cell an electrolyte is in physical contact subjacent a cathode and superjacent an anode. Finally, a lower interconnect is subjacent the anode.

A fuel cell comprising an indium tin oxide cathode contact is in physical contact subjacent an upper interconnect and in physical contact superjacent a cathode. In this fuel cell an electrolyte is in physical contact subjacent a cathode and superjacent an anode. Finally, a lower interconnect is subjacent the anode.