Patent ID: 7842434

Claim:
An interconnect for solid oxide fuel cells comprising a gas-impermeable body, the gas-impermeable body being formed from a ferritic stainless steel and including: (a) a fuel side comprising a via and a gas flow channel, and (b) an oxidant side opposite the fuel side, the oxidant side comprising a via and a gas flow channel; wherein a metallic material that forms an oxide having a dissociation pressure greater than a partial pressure of oxygen proximate the fuel side of the interconnect during operation of the solid oxide fuel cells is connected to at least a portion of the ferritic stainless steel on the fuel side of the body, and wherein at least a portion of the oxidant side of the interconnect is electropolished so that when the oxidant side is subjected to an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature of at least 650° C., a surface region of the via develops a scale comprising a manganese-chromate spinel, and a surface region of the gas flow channel develops an aluminum-rich oxide scale comprising iron and chromium and having a hematite structure.