Thin film fuel cell electrolyte and method for making

Abstract

An electrolyte has a core and at least one projection extending from the core. The core is supported on a substrate, and the at least one projection is separated from the substrate.

1 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell comprising: 
 an electrolyte core supported on a substrate; and    at least one electrolyte projection connected to said core and separated from said substrate.    
     
     
         2 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 1  wherein said at least one electrolyte projection comprises at least two electrolyte projections integrally connected to said core, the first of said two electrolyte projections extending from a first side of said first electrolyte portion and the second of said two electrolyte projections extending from a second side of said electrolyte core.  
     
     
         3 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 1  wherein said electrolyte core has a three dimensional generally rectangular shape, and wherein said at least one electrolyte projection has a three dimensional generally rectangular shape.  
     
     
         4 . A thin film fuel cell comprising the electrolyte defined by  claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrolyte projection comprises a plurality of electrolyte projections, and further comprising: 
 a cathode in contact with at least a first one of said plurality of electrolyte projections and with at least a first portion of said core; and    an anode in contact with at least a second one of said plurality of electrolyte projections and with at least a second portion of said core, said anode separated from said cathode.    
     
     
         5 . A thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 4 , wherein said electrolyte core has two opposing sides, said anode connected to a first of said two opposing sides and said cathode connected to the second of said two opposing sides.  
     
     
         6 . A thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 4  wherein said cathode comprises a thin layer wherein a surface of said cathode substantially matches the surface of said at least a first electrolyte projection, and wherein said anode comprises a thin layer wherein a surface of said anode substantially matches the surface of said at least a second electrolyte projection.  
     
     
         7 . A thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 4  wherein: 
 said at least a first one of said plurality of electrolyte projections comprises at least two electrolyte projections, a first gap defined between said at least two electrolyte projections, said cathode substantially filling said first gap; and    said at least a second one of said plurality of electrolyte projections comprises at least two electrolyte projections, a second gap defined between said at least two electrolyte projections, said anode substantially filling said second gap.    
     
     
         8 . (canceled)  
     
     
         9 . A thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 4  wherein: 
 said anode is made of a ceramic/metal mixture selected from the group consisting of: yttria stabilized zirconia/nickel, samaria doped ceria/nickel, and samaria doped ceria/copper; and    the cathode is made of a mixture of an electrocatalyst and an oxygen ion conductor selected from the group consisting of lanthanum strontium maganite/yttria stabilized zirconia, lanthanum strontium cobaltite ferrite/samaria doped ceria, and samarium strontium cobaltite/samaria doped ceria.    
     
     
         10 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 1  wherein said electrolyte core is one of a plurality of electrolyte cores supported on said substrate, each of said plurality of electrolyte cores separated from one another.  
     
     
         11 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 10  wherein said plurality or electrolyte cores being arranged to define a plurality of channels.  
     
     
         12 . A thin film fuel cell including the electrolyte defined by  claim 11 , and further comprising an anode and a cathode connected to each of said plurality of electrolyte cores, said anodes and cathodes arranged wherein said anodes define channel walls of every other of said plurality of channels, and said cathodes define walls of interventing of said plurality of channels.  
     
     
         13 . A thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 12  further comprising a manifold for covering said plurality of channels.  
     
     
         14 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 10  wherein said substrate comprises a first substrate, and further comprising a second substrate opposing said first substrate, a plurality of electrolyte cores connected to said second substrate and facing said first substrate, each of said plurality of electrolyte cores having at least one projection extending from said core and separated from said second substrate.  
     
     
         15 . A thin film fuel cell including the electrolyte defined by  claim 14  and further including a plurality of walls extend between said first substrate and said second substrate to define a plurality of channels.  
     
     
         16 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 10  wherein said plurality of electrolyte cores is arranged non-linearly to cause an increase in gas flow turbulence.  
     
     
         19 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 1  wherein said substrate has opposing first and second sides, and wherein at least one of said electrolyte cores is supported on each of said first and second sides.  
     
     
         20 - 22 . (canceled)  
     
     
         23 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 1  wherein said core and said at least one projection are made of a ceramic selected from the group of ceramics consisting of: yttria stabilized zirconia, samaria doped ceria, gadolinia doped ceria, and lanthanum strontium gallium maganite.  
     
     
         24 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 1  wherein said core has a width between about  1  and about  1000  microns and a height between about 0.  
     
     
         25 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 1  wherein said core has a width of about  1  micron or less, and a height between about 0.25 and about 5 microns, and wherein each of said at least one projections has a width of between about 0.25 and about 5 microns and a height of between about 1 and about 2 microns.  
     
     
         26 . An electrolyte for use with a thin film fuel cell as defined by  claim 1  wherein said at least one projection comprises a plurality of projections and wherein at least some of said plurality of projections are of different sizes from one another.  
     
     
         27 - 45 . (canceled)