A Novel SOFC/SOEC Sealing Glass with a Low SiO₂ Content and a High Thermal Expansion Coefficient

Solid oxide cells require seals that can function in harsh, elevated temperature environments. In addition, a low Si content can be advantageous, since Si impurities from the glass sealant can be transported to the active fuel electrode and poison the Ni-YSZ triple phase boundaries. To reduce the amount of Si emission, a low Si containing sealing glass (chemical composition: 50 mol% CaO, 20 mol% ZnO, 20 mol% B2O3 and 10 mol% SiO2) was developed at DTU.

In this work, the results from thermal characterization, the crystallization behavior of the glass and the long-term stability and adhesion behavior of the glass were studied under SOFC and SOEC relevant conditions. The glass-ceramic sealant performed well over 400 h, and no cell degradation or leakage related to the seal was found, indicating that the developed glass system is applicable for the use in SOFC/SOEC stacks.