Alejandro Várez
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
Title: Application of powder extrusion moulding technologies to fabrication of microtubes for solid oxide fuel cells
Biography
Biography: Alejandro Várez
Abstract
Powder Extrusion Molding (PEM) is a technology that combine the advantages of extrusion plastic and the conventional powder technology allowing the manufacturing of ceramic and metallic 2D pieces. On the other hand, Micro-Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (MT-SOFCs) are small tubular shaped, ceramic based, that electrochemically converts fuels, mainly those containing hydrogen in the compound such as hydrocarbons, into electrical power. In this communication we present the results we have obtained by applying the PEM technology to manufacture MT-SOFCs. In particular, by using this technology we have obtained tubes of YSZ, Ni-YSZ and ferritic Stainless Steels (430L) for being used as self-supported, anode-supported and metallic-supported SOFCs respectively. The binders developed for the manufacturing process are multicomponent systems constituted by a thermoplastic polymer as high density polyethylene or polypropylene, and several kind of wax. These binders are mixed with the metallic or ceramic powder to produce the so-called feedstock. The extrusion of this feedstock allowed obtaining micro-tubes with a wall thickness ranged between 200 and 1000 µm after sintering process. Mechanical and electrochemical properties are good enough for the final application (electrolyte, anode-support or metal-support).