A glass ceramic seal is formed from a precursor material that includes from 80 mol % to 100 mol % of a primary component containing, on an oxide basis, from 25 mol % to 55 mol % SiO.sub.2, from 20 mol % to 45 mol % CaO, from 5 mol % to 30 mol % MgO, and from 0 mol % to 15 mol % Al.sub.2O.sub.3.

Fuel cell unit in the form of a fuel cell stack for producing electrical energy in an electrochemical manner, comprising fuel cells, the fuel cells each comprising a proton exchange membrane, an anode, a cathode, a gas diffusion layer, a bipolar plate, at least one fluid channel for the passage of a fluid, at least one seal (11) composed of a sealing material (42) for sealing off the at least one fluid channel (37), wherein particles (41) composed of a particle material (43) are arranged in the sealing material (42) of the at least one seal (11), for the purpose of extending the diffusion path (38) of the fluid which is sealed off by the at least one seal (11).

A glass ceramic seal contains by weight, on an oxide basis 40-60% of SiO.sub.2, 25-28% of BaO, 10-20% of B.sub.2O.sub.3, 8-12% of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 0-2% of ZrO.sub.2, 0-1% of Y.sub.2O.sub.3, 0-1% of CaO, and 0-1% of MgO.

A glass ceramic seal contains by weight, on an oxide basis 40-60% of SiO.sub.2, 25-28% of BaO, 10-20% of B.sub.2O.sub.3, 8-12% of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 0-2% of ZrO.sub.2, 0-1% of Y.sub.2O.sub.3, 0-1% of CaO, and 0-1% of MgO.

A fuel cell column includes a stack of alternating fuel cells and interconnects, where the interconnects separate adjacent fuel cells in the stack and contain fuel and air channels which are configured to provide respective fuel and air to the fuel cells. a manifold plate containing a bottom inlet hole and a bottom outlet hole located in a bottom surface of the manifold plate, top outlet holes and top inlet holes formed in opposing sides of a top surface of the manifold plate, outlet channels fluidly connecting the top outlet holes to the bottom inlet hole, and inlet channels fluidly connecting the top inlet holes to the bottom outlet hole, and a mitigation structure configured to reduce stress applied to the stack due to at least one of a shape mismatch or coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between the stack and the manifold plate.

A fuel cell column includes a stack of alternating fuel cells and interconnects, where the interconnects separate adjacent fuel cells in the stack and contain fuel and air channels which are configured to provide respective fuel and air to the fuel cells. a manifold plate containing a bottom inlet hole and a bottom outlet hole located in a bottom surface of the manifold plate, top outlet holes and top inlet holes formed in opposing sides of a top surface of the manifold plate, outlet channels fluidly connecting the top outlet holes to the bottom inlet hole, and inlet channels fluidly connecting the top inlet holes to the bottom outlet hole, and a mitigation structure configured to reduce stress applied to the stack due to at least one of a shape mismatch or coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between the stack and the manifold plate.

A manifold plate for a fuel cell stack includes a lower manifold portion, an upper manifold portion, a dielectric layer sandwiched between the lower manifold portion and the upper manifold portion, a bottom inlet hole and a bottom outlet hole formed in a bottom surface of the lower manifold portion, where the bottom inlet hole and the bottom outlet hole extend through the dielectric layer, top outlet holes and top inlet holes formed in opposing sides of a top surface of the upper manifold portion, outlet channels fluidly connecting the top outlet holes to the bottom inlet hole, and inlet channels fluidly connecting the top inlet holes to the bottom outlet hole.

A member for a fuel cell in which a lip 4b is directly fixed to the surface of a separator 5. In the member for a fuel cell, the lip 4b is a cross-linked body of a radically curable composition containing components (A) to (E) below at a specific ratio, and the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the cross-linked body is −30° C. or less. (A) (Meth)acrylic polymer having a (meth)acryloyl group at a molecular chain end. (B) Monofunctional (meth)acrylic monomer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 0° C. or more and having a polycyclic structure. (C) Monofunctional (meth)acrylic monomer except for component (B). (D) Polyfunctional (meth)acrylic monomer. (E) Radical polymerization initiator.

A module for an HTE reactor or an SOFC fuel cell, the module including a circuit for the circulation of a gas, in addition to the reactive gases required for the electrolysis reaction or the reverse reaction in an SOFC cell, the circuit enabling, during the operation under pressure, the additional gas to equalise, on one side of the glass- and/or vitroceramic-based seals, the pressure of the reactive gases generated on the other side.

A module for an HTE reactor or an SOFC fuel cell, the module including a circuit for the circulation of a gas, in addition to the reactive gases required for the electrolysis reaction or the reverse reaction in an SOFC cell, the circuit enabling, during the operation under pressure, the additional gas to equalise, on one side of the glass- and/or vitroceramic-based seals, the pressure of the reactive gases generated on the other side.