3. High-temperature ceramic gasket

In order to achieve an effective seal between two layers making up an SOFC-type solid fuel cell, a ceramic-matrix solid composite gasket loaded with ceramic or glass flux particles is applied by plasma spraying to one or both of the surfaces to be joined. .

The joint is solid, non-deformable and adheres to its substrate at room temperature. It forms and acquires its properties when the system is put into service at temperature, thanks to a mechanism whereby the melting phase migrates by capillary action into the volume of the ceramic matrix, preferentially towards the interface to be joined.

Figure shows the seal conditioning mechanism.