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Title: Experimental Study of the Aging and Self-Healing of Glass/Ceramic Sealant Used in SOFCs

Journal Article · · International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, 7(1):22-29

High operating temperatures of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) require that sealant must function at a high temperature between 600oC and 900oC and in the oxidizing and reducing environments of fuel and air. This paper describes tests to investigate the temporal evolution of the volume fraction of ceramic phases, the evolution of micro-damage, and the self-healing behavior of the glass ceramic sealant used in SOFCs. It was found that after the initial sintering process, further crystallization of the glass ceramic sealant does not stop, but slows down and reduces the residual glass content while boosting the ceramic crystalline content. Under the long-term operating environment, distinct fibrous and needle-like crystals in the amorphous phase disappeared, and smeared/diffused phase boundaries between the glass phase and ceramic phase were observed. Meanwhile, the micro-damage was induced by the cooling-down process from the operating temperature to the room temperature, which can potentially degrade the mechanical properties of the glass/ceramic sealant. The glass/ceramic sealant self-healed upon reheating to the SOFC operating temperature, which can restore the mechanical performance of the glass/ceramic sealant.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
982946
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-66154; ISSN 1744-7402; AA2530000; TRN: US201014%%132
Journal Information:
International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, 7(1):22-29, Vol. 7, Issue 1; ISSN 1546-542X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English