Production of Beta Alumina by Seeding and Beta Alumina Produced Thereby

This invention relates to the manufacture of beta type aluminas for use as solid electrolyte conductors of small ions. Such materials are used as electrodes in fuel cells and in cells for electrical power generation such as sodium-sulfur cells.

Beta type aluminas are crystalline materials of the formula Na.sub.2 O--11Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 or Na.sub.2 O--6Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 where the Na may be substituted in whole or in part by other alkali or alkaline earth elements. In the sodium sulfur cell the beta alumina electrode forms a barrier between molten sulfur and molten sodium. The electrode permits the flow through it of sodium ions, whereby Na.sub.2 S is formed, generating power when a load is applied to output electrodes in contact with opposite sides of the cell.

It is desirable that the beta alumina for application on a solid electrolyte be strong and dense. In the past such products have been formed by classical sintering techniques where powder of the desired beta alumina composition is compacted into the desired shape by molding and then fired to produce the final product.

The present invention provides a method by which bodies of superior strength and low porosity can be made.

Beta alumina bodies of superior hardness (density) and strength are produced in the present invention by providing a mix, containing an alumina sol or gel together with the stoichiometric amounts of alkali and/or alkaline earth oxides or oxide precursors. Seed particles for nucleation of the beta alumina are added, and the composition is formed to shape in the gel form by molding, casting, or extruding. In a sol form, water is removed from the mix to produce the desired consistency for the forming step. If the material is to be cast, a higher water content will be desirable than in the case where it is to be extruded. Seeds for nucleation of the beta alumina may be beta alumina itself, or preferably, may be alpha alumina, since alpha alumina is readily ground into appropriate size for use as seed material, and, for reasons not clearly understood at this time, is an effective nucleant for the growth of beta alumina crystals. One possibility is that the surface of the alpha seed reacts with the alkali or alkaline earth components in the mix to form beta alumina prior to that point in the firing of the shaped body at which any significant autogenous nucleation of the composition to beta alumina takes place. Thus the nucleation takes place in a controlled and uniform manner.

When beta alumina seed is employed it is not necessary that it be of the same composition, in terms of alkali or alkaline earth ions as the overall composition. Thus a lithium beta alumina can act as a seed for a potassium or sodium beta composition.

U.S. Pat . No. 4,623,364 to Cottringer, Van de Merwe, and Bauer, teaches various methods of producing fine alpha alumina seed to be used in the manufacture of alpha alumina bodies. Such seed is the preferred seed in the present invention. However it is produced, it should be finer than one micron in size and preferably much finer. Typical preferred seed has a surface area of about 40square meters per gram, equivalent to a particle diameter of 0.04 microns (micrometers).

An arbitrary composition of 1.0 Na.sub.2 O--0.16Li.sub.2 O--6.33 Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 was chosen to illustrate the invention.

In a large stainless steel vessel was put condea NG microcrystalline boehmite in the amount of 215 grams. In a separate 400 ml beaker 26.5 grams of anhydrous sodium carbonate was dissolved in 100 ml of water and 30 ml of concentrate (14% HNO.sub.3) nitric acid which was slowly added. In another container 3.0 grams of lithium carbonate was dissolved in 50 ml of water and 7 ml of concentrated nitric acid (slowly added).

To the stainless steel vessel containing the microcrystalline boehmite were added 1.5 liters of water and all the sodium and lithium solutions. The mixture was stirred and an additional 100 ml of concentrated nitric acid was added. The mixture was thoroughly stirred and then separated into two portions.

The first half was dried in the form of a plate and broken into several pieces.

Prior to drying the second half was seeded by the addition of 13 grams of water which had been milled in a vibratory mill with 1/2".times.1/2" alumina grinding cylinders until it contained 6.33% of fine solids from the alumina media.

The gel was then dried as a flat plate and broken into several pieces.

The following results were obtained upon firing the samples for 4 minutes:

All of the samples were shown to be beta (beta double primed) by X-ray diffraction.

The results show a very significant increase in hardness and strength and density for the seeded samples.