Patent ID: 8192888

Claim:
A stack of electrolyte-supported electrochemical cells, comprising: at least two electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell comprising a self-supporting thin-film sintered ceramic membrane having a thin layer of a sintered ceramic electrolyte material, and a thicker layer of a sintered ceramic electrolyte material adjacent to and supporting the thin layer of ceramic electrolyte material, the thicker layer of ceramic electrolyte material comprising a network of interconnected support ribs separating a plurality of voids that extend through the thicker layer of ceramic electrolyte material, the network of interconnected support ribs centrally located to define an integral central mesh portion, wherein the thickness of the thin layer is 25 to 50 microns, and each of the thin and thicker layers extends outwardly beyond the central mesh portion to define a dense sealing perimeter around the central mesh portion, the sealing perimeter having the combined thickness of the thin and thicker layers; an anode material applied to a surface of the ceramic membrane, and a cathode material applied to the opposing surface of the ceramic membrane; one or more dense electronically conductive plates, wherein one of said plates is sealed between and to the dense sealing perimeters of the ceramic membranes of adjacent electrochemical cells.