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Center for Nonlinear Studies |
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) in a flat-plate configuration require a hermetic seal between the fuel and air sides of the electrodes, and this seal must withstand a variety of thermally-induced stresses over the lifetime of the cell. In this study, quantitative microstructure-property relationships are developed to predict optimum seal structures for mechanical properties and thermal expansion coefficient criteria. These relationships are used to create an inverse approach to characterizing the processing method from the desired microstructure, i.e., microstructure sensitive design. The main focus of the work concentrates on the macroscopic property predictions from the constituent properties using homogenization techniques. The properties of interest are: elastic modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion, and viscoelastic properties. Homogenization methods are used to predict the “homogenized” or “averaged” mechanical response of a heterogeneous material observed in specimen testing based on the individual properties and volume fractions of the various components composing the material. Such a model could predict the optimum microstructure (with the desired elastic modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion, and viscoelastic behaviors) based on a desired level of crystallization and various crystal volume fractions in glass-ceramic materials required.
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