Provided are low-cost, mechanically strong, highly electronically conductive
porous substrates and associated structures for solid-state electrochemical devices,
techniques for forming these structures, and devices incorporating the structures.
The invention provides solid state electrochemical device substrates of novel composition
and techniques for forming thin electrode/membrane/electrolyte coatings on the
novel or more conventional substrates. In particular, in one embodiment the invention
provides techniques for firing of device substrate to form densified electrolyte/membrane
films 5 to 20 microns thick. In another embodiment, densified electrolyte/membrane
films 5 to 20 microns thick may be formed on a pre-sintered substrate by a constrained
sintering process. In some cases, the substrate may be a porous metal, alloy, or
non-nickel cermet incorporating one or more of the transition metals Cr, Fe, Cu
and Ag, or alloys thereof.
