Structure, sintering and crystallization kinetics of alkaline-earth aluminosilicate glass-ceramic sealants for solid oxide fuel cells

A series of alkaline-earth aluminosilicate based glasses modified with Cr2O3 and BaO were appraised in the primary crystallization field of diopside, with respect to their suitability as sealants for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) increased while flow properties improved with addition of BaO in the glasses. Density measurements and infra-red spectroscopy have been used in order to shed some light on the structure of glasses. Sintering and crystallization behavior of the glasses has been investigated using hot-stage microscopy (HSM) and differential thermal analysis (DTA), respectively. The microstructure, and properties of the glass-ceramics (GCs) were investigated under non-isothermal heat treatment conditions (800ºC and 850ºC; 1 h). Rietveld-R.I.R. technique has been employed to quantify the amount of crystalline and amorphous content in the GCs.