Highly conductive electrolyte composites containing glass and ceramic, and method of manufacture

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A principal object of the present invention is to provide a method of fabricating highly conductive electrolyte composites.
A feature of the method is the combining of high soda glass with ionically conductive compounds at relatively low temperatures to make a high alkali metal ion transport media.
The high sodium ion conductivity of the ionically conductive compound and the ease of fabrication of the glass provides an efficient, economical alternative to typical electrolyte structures.
Another object of the present invention is to provide highly conductive electrolyte composites.
A feature of the invention is the combination of ionically conductive glass with ionically conductive compounds such as the beta-aluminas or other sodium ion conductive ceramics.
This combination affords an economically designed electrolyte compared to typical electrolytes.
In brief, the objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by an electrolyte composite and a method of fabricating thereof.
An ironically conductive glass is combined with an ionically conductive compound, such as a sodium ion conductive ceramic, at relatively lower temperatures (800.
degree.
C.
-1200.
degree.
C.
) than are typically required (1400.
degree.
C.
) when fabricating single constituent ceramic electrolytes.
These materials exhibit a conductivity between 2.
5 and 4.
times.
10.
sup.
-2 (ohm-cm).
sup.
-1 at 250.
degree.
C.
, and chemical stability against sodium for at least 100 hours at 250 to 300.
degree.
C.
The composite is 100 percent ionically conductive at 250.
degree.
C.