DETERMINATION OF FRACTURE STRENGTH OF GLASS-CERAMIC SEALANT USED IN SOFC

The sealant is an integral component of SOFC and its integrity is very crucial for the functionality of the cell. Any damage or failure of this component may result in total operational failure of the fuel cell system. The measurement of the fracture strength of the sealant is needed in the design against failure of this component. A controlled buckling technique is used to determine the fracture strength of the sealant by axially compressing a thin ceramic substrate supporting the sealing glass-ceramic film. A simple set-up is made to measure the applied compressive displacement at failure. Using the quantity measured during the experiment, the curvature and film strength are determined using buckling theory. The fracture toughness is estimated to be similar to 3.07 MPa root m