Shear strength tests of glass ceramic sealant for solid oxide fuel cells applications

Different approaches are used for the integration of ceramic components in solid oxide fuel cells stacks, where dissimilar materials (ceramics and metals) have to be joined and coupled for a reliable long term operation. This work focuses on the mechanical characterisation of a glass ceramic sealant used for the joining of Crofer22APU metallic interconnect samples as well as the interaction with a preoxidised Crofer22APU. Crofer22APU–glass ceramic sealant joined samples are tested by two different mechanical tests. Hourglass samples with different geometries were tested using an in-house developed torsion test machine at room temperature. In addition, their mechanical strength was also evaluated according to the ISO 13124 standard. The comparison of the two different testing methods, with particular focus on the shear strength of the joined samples, are reviewed and discussed.