Direct-deposition processing techniques

These processes are very rapid and allow the preparation of inorganic supports in one step. This technique allows large-scale manufacturing of supports such as titania, fumed silica, and aluminas. Sometimes the properties of the material differ from the conventional preparation routes and make this approach unique. Multicomponent systems can be also prepared, either by multimetallic solutions or by using a two-nozzle system fed with monometallic solutions [22]. The as-prepared powder can be directly deposited onto substrates, and the process is termed combustion chemical vapor deposition [23]. 

Figure 21 shows three possible routes to obtain oriented PAV films by the LB technique. In these route, it is anticipated that orientational orderliness of precursor polymers is introduced in the precursor LB films through the formation of two-dimensionally oriented monolayer of a polyelectrolyte precursor-anionic amphiphile polyion complex at the air/subphase interface and orientation of the precursor monolayers along the dipping direction dining the deposition process. As a result, it is expected to obtain oriented PAV LB films with well-developed jt-coryugation system. In this study, we successfully prepared oriented PAV films using two routes of them, b-1 and b-2 route [35-37]. The chemical structures of PAVs, their polyelectrolyte precursors and an anionic amphiphile used in this study are shown in Fig.22. 

Once the structural support layers have been fabricated by extrusion or EPD for tubular cells or by tape casting or powder pressing for planar cells, the subsequent cell layers must be deposited to complete the cell. A wide variety of fabrication methods have been utilized for this purpose, with the choice of method or methods depending on the cell geometry (tubular or planar, and overall size) materials to be deposited and support layer material, both in terms of compatibility of the process with the layer to be deposited and with the previously deposited layers, and desired microstructure of the layer being deposited. In general, the methods can be classified into two very broad categories wet-ceramic techniques and direct-deposition techniques. 

Both wet-ceramic techniques and direct-deposition techniques require preparation of the feedstock, which can consist of dry powders, suspensions of powders in liquid, or solution precursors for the desired phases, such as nitrates of the cations from which the oxides are formed. Section 6.1.3 presented some processing methods utilized to prepare the powder precursors for use in SOFC fabrication. The component fabrication methods are presented here. An overview of the major wet-ceramic and direct-deposition techniques utilized to deposit the thinner fuel cell components onto the thicker structural support layer are presented below. 

Understanding the dependence of film structure and morphology on system layout and process parameters is a core topic for the further development of ZnO technology. Work is being performed on in situ characterization of deposition processes. Growth processes are simulated using Direct Simulation Monte-Carlo (DSMC) techniques to simulate the gas flow and sputter kinetics simulation and Particle-ln-Cell Monte-Carlo (PICMC) techniques for the plasma simulation [132]. 

A new technique is under development for depositing metal onto a ceramic substrate (e.g., ceramic membrane) at room temperature. This ion vapor deposition process combines ion implementation and electron beam deposition [Anonymous, 1988]. The ceramic substrate is irradiated with argon or nitrogen ions while the metal is vaporized by an electron beam and deposited onto the ceramic surface. The ion implementation directs the metal to the surface to be joined. 

Another approach to the direct deposition of platinum onto the membrane surface has been adopted by several workers in exploratory studies of electrochemical processes at the Pt/ionomer membrane interface. Takenaka and Torikai [31] and later Fedkiw and Her [32] and Aldebert and others [33] developed various electroless deposition techniques for the application of a film of platinum to the surface of an ionomeric membrane. The original method suggested by Takenaka and Torikai [31] was based on exposure of one side of the membrane to an anionic salt of the metal... 

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