An article having a metallic layer and a glass layer, and a method for preventing or reducing a chemical reaction between a metallic layer and a glass layer are disclosed. The article has a barrier layer disposed between the metallic layer and the glass layer. The barrier layer includes alumina and a phosphate. The phosphate includes an aluminum dihydrogen phosphate, an aluminum-containing phosphate, a phosphate of an element of the metallic layer, a phosphate of an element of the glass layer, or combinations thereof. The method includes disposing a barrier layer between the metallic layer and the glass layer.

An electrochemical device may be formed by assembly by stacking preassembled modules, each of these modules being produced as a usual stack of electrochemical cells. The manufacture of preassembled modules can make it possible to produce electrochemical devices with a large number of electrochemical cells, without the bracing problems present and excessive crushing courses that are encountered in the cell stacks according to the prior art, i.e., in a single block.

An electrochemical device may be formed by assembly by stacking preassembled modules, each of these modules being produced as a usual stack of electrochemical cells. The manufacture of preassembled modules can make it possible to produce electrochemical devices with a large number of electrochemical cells, without the bracing problems present and excessive crushing courses that are encountered in the cell stacks according to the prior art, i.e., in a single block.

The invention relates to a method for producing a metal-supported fuel cell and/or electrolyzer unit, in particular a metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell unit, wherein the metal-supported fuel cell and/or electrolyzer unit comprises at least one electrode unit (14a; 4b; 14c; 14f) with at least two functional layers (16a, 18a;16b, 18b;16c, 8c; 16f, 18f), and the metal-supported fuel cell and/or electrolyzer unit comprises at least one metal support device for supporting the electrode unit (14a; 14b; 14c; 14f). According to the invention, the metal support device and the electrode unit (14a; 14b; 14c; 14f) which has the at least two functional layers (16a, 8a; 16c, 18c; 16f, 18f) are produced separately.

The present invention relates to: a glass composition that can be used as sealing material; and a solid oxide fuel cell using same. A sealing glass composition according to the present invention includes 10-35 wt % of SiO.sub.2, 3-35 wt % of B.sub.2O.sub.3, 30-65 wt % of BaO, 0.1-15 wt % of CaO, 0.1-3 wt % of NiO, and 0.1-3 wt % of CuO. Unlike conventional glass compositions as sealing material, the present sealing glass composition is suitable for use in solid oxide fuel cells that operate at medium-low temperatures, and in particular, has the excellent effect of minimizing sealing adhesion strength degradation even after long-term use.

The present invention relates to: a glass composition that can be used as sealing material; and a solid oxide fuel cell using same. A sealing glass composition according to the present invention includes 10-35 wt % of SiO.sub.2, 3-35 wt % of B.sub.2O.sub.3, 30-65 wt % of BaO, 0.1-15 wt % of CaO, 0.1-3 wt % of NiO, and 0.1-3 wt % of CuO. Unlike conventional glass compositions as sealing material, the present sealing glass composition is suitable for use in solid oxide fuel cells that operate at medium-low temperatures, and in particular, has the excellent effect of minimizing sealing adhesion strength degradation even after long-term use.

A fuel cell stack is described. The fuel cell stack comprises an interconnect assembly comprising a cathode-side interface coupled to an interconnect via a first joint, and an anode-side interface coupled to the interconnect via a second joint, the interconnect assembly having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) at an interface side of the interconnect assembly. The fuel cell stack further comprises a fuel cell element coupled to the interconnect assembly at the interface side via a hermetic seal, the fuel cell element having a second CTE at the interface side, the first CTE and the second CTE satisfying a predetermined CTE matching condition.

A fuel battery and a fuel cell stack, the fuel battery including: a fuel cell that generates electric power through a power generating reaction of reactant gases and includes a solid electrolyte layer having a first main surface and a second main surface, a first electrode disposed on the first main surface and serving as one of a cathode and an anode, and a second electrode disposed on the second main surface and serving as the other one of the cathode and the anode; an interconnector disposed so as to face the first electrode; and a current collecting member that electrically connects the first electrode to the interconnector. The first electrode includes: an inner portion connected to the current collecting member; and an outer portion disposed outward of the current collecting member and having a height larger than the height of the inner portion.

A fuel battery and a fuel cell stack, the fuel battery including: a fuel cell that generates electric power through a power generating reaction of reactant gases and includes a solid electrolyte layer having a first main surface and a second main surface, a first electrode disposed on the first main surface and serving as one of a cathode and an anode, and a second electrode disposed on the second main surface and serving as the other one of the cathode and the anode; an interconnector disposed so as to face the first electrode; and a current collecting member that electrically connects the first electrode to the interconnector. The first electrode includes: an inner portion connected to the current collecting member; and an outer portion disposed outward of the current collecting member and having a height larger than the height of the inner portion.

A method of preparation and application for a glass ceramic sealing thin strip with high sealing performance, differing from using conventional glass ceramic packaging paste applied to the junction of the cell stack assembly and connecting plates. The glass ceramic sealing thin strip of present invention utilizes tape casting to produce a single layer or multi-layer stacking in accordance with the required thickness of the glass-ceramic sealing thin strip, and cutting the glass ceramic sealing thin strips from molds in accordance with the geometry of cell stacks with equal thickness of the glass ceramic sealing thin strip for SOFC cell stack assembly, aiming to overcome the setbacks of the conventional dispensing method with glass ceramic packaging paste that makes the thickness difficult to control, and to effectively improve sealing performance of the cell stack assembly and the power generation efficiency, and achieve commercial application with mass production.