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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Ceramic-metal solid electrolytes

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5227557

The sodium-sulfur battery is a candidate for application to electric vehicles and utility load-leveling. The electrolyte in this battery, ..beta..-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, often fails by fracture, which in many cases is initiated by electrolytic degradation. Technology developed at ORNL to produce shock-resistant mechanically tough ..cap alpha..-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-based cermets has been extended to include solid electrolytes based on ..beta..-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/. Compositions examined, ..beta..-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-Pt and ..beta..-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-Cr, were found to have ionic conductivities comparable to ..beta..-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ fabricated in the same way. No special problems with the submicron-size metal inclusions were observed in preliminary tests. This concept is generic and could conceivably be applied to ceramic solid electrolytes in other chemical systems.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
OSTI ID:
5227557
Report Number(s):
ORNL/TM-8154; ON: DE82009034
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English