American Elements produces the full range of anode, cathode and electrolyte materials essential to the production of solid oxide fuel cells. We developed unique processes to reduce the cost of producing nickel cermet anode material and were one of the first companies to commercially produce lanthanum strontium manganite cathode powders by solid state processes.

American Elements was one of the first participants in the Department of Energy’s Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) joining the program in 2000 and first proposed the addition of a materials program to the alliance at an important joint US-EU fuel cell conference in 2001.

American Elements is the world's largest producer of Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing materials for the Fuel Cell Industry.

Innovation Case Study #15: American Elements Develops Low Cost Fuel Cell Material for U.S. Department of Energy Program

#15: American Elements Develops Low Cost Fuel Cell Material for U.S. Department of Energy Program


The Challenge

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer the world a potential game changing means to produce energy from hydrocarbons; far cleaner and more efficient than combustion engines. However, many technical and cost issues have prevented their commercialization, chief of which is the cost of the electrode and electrolyte materials. The most expensive of these is the perovskite-structured cathode material lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM) produced through the very expensive and time-consuming process of co-precipitation.

The Innovation

As part of the Solid Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) formed by the U.S. Department of Energy, American Elements proposed at a joint meeting of the European Union and SECA participants in Brussels in 2001 that LSM could and should be produced through the much less costly means of solid state sintering of the powder and demonstrated a scheme for commercializing the approach. Samples from this technology were distributed for testing to SECA participants including Honeywell, Cummins Engines and General Electric.

The Result

Testing by program participants confirmed the efficacy of the new production method. American Elements scaled the process from pilot to commercial scale at its Bluffdale, Utah plant. Cost estimates for production of solid oxide fuel cells have been reduced and today we provide low cost LSM and several other cathode materials to programs in the U.S., Europe and Japan.
Below is merely a selection of the full catalog of Fuel Cells products that American Elements manufactures. If you do not see a material you're looking for listed, please search the website or contact customerservice@americanelements.com.

Selected Products Supplied to the Fuel Cells Industry

3% Yttria Stabilized Zirconia 40% Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Nanoparticles / Nanopowder 8% Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Barium Cerate
Barium Cerium Yttrium Zirconate Sputtering Target Barium Strontium Cobalt Ferrite Barium Yttrium Zirconate Barium Yttrium Zirconate Sputtering Target
Barium Zirconate Barium Zirconate Sputtering Target Barium Zirconium Cerium Yttrium Oxide Calcia Stabilized Zirconia
Calcia Stabilized Zirconia Sputtering Target Calcium Doped Lanthanum Chromite Paste Calcium Silicate Calcium-doped Ceria Sputtering Target
Carbon Fiber Carbon Foam Carbon Granules Carbon Nanotubes
Cerium Oxide Calcium doped Nanoparticle Dispersion Cerium Oxide Calcium doped Nanoparticles / Nanopowder Cerium Oxide Gadolinium doped Nanoparticle Dispersion Cerium Oxide Gadolinium doped Nanoparticles / Nanopowder
Cerium Oxide Samarium doped Nanoparticle Dispersion Cerium Oxide Yttria doped Nanoparticle Dispersion Cerium Oxide Yttria doped Nanoparticles / Nanopowder Cerium Oxide, Gadolinium-doped Pellets
Cerium Oxide, Praseodymium-doped Cerium Oxide, Samarium doped Nanoparticles / Nanopowder Cerium Oxide, Samarium-doped Pellets Cerium Zirconium Oxide Nanoparticle Dispersion
Cerium Zirconium Oxide Nanoparticles / Nanopowder Cobalt Boride (Co2B) Cobalt(II) Phthalocyanine Copper Foam
Copper Mesh Copper Wire Gadolinia doped Ceria (GDC) Gadolinia doped Ceria Paste (GDC)
Gadolinia doped Ceria Sputtering Target (GDC) Gadolinium-doped Zinc Oxide Gold Conductor Paste Gold Mesh
Graphene Graphene Oxide Paper Graphene Oxide Thin Film Graphite Felt
Indium Oxide/Tin Oxide Iridium Black Iridium Ruthenium Oxide Iridium-Tantalum coated Titanium Anodes
Lanthanum Calcium Chromite Lanthanum Calcium Cobalt Oxide Lanthanum Calcium Manganite (LCM) Lanthanum Calcium Manganite Sputtering Target
Lanthanum Cobalt Oxide Lanthanum Cobalt Oxide Sputtering Target Lanthanum Gallate, Strontium and Magnesium Doped (LSGM) Lanthanum Germanate
Lanthanum Iron Oxide Lanthanum Iron Oxide Sputtering Target Lanthanum Manganate Sputtering Target Lanthanum Nickel Iron Oxide
Lanthanum Nickel Oxide Lanthanum Nickel Oxide Sputtering Target Lanthanum Nickelate Nanoparticle Dispersion Lanthanum Nickelate Nanoparticles / Nanopowder
Lanthanum Nickelate, Strontium-doped Nanoparticle Dispersion Lanthanum Nickelate, Strontium-doped Nanoparticles / Nanopowder Lanthanum Strontium Chromite Lanthanum Strontium Chromite Sputtering Target
Lanthanum Strontium Cobalt Chromite Lanthanum Strontium Cobalt Chromite Paste Lanthanum Strontium Cobalt Ferrite (LSCF) Lanthanum Strontium Cobalt Ferrite Paste
Lanthanum Strontium Cobalt Ferrite Sputtering Target Lanthanum Strontium Cobalt Oxide Sputtering Target Lanthanum Strontium Cobaltite (LSC) Lanthanum Strontium Cobaltite Ferrite (LSCF)- Gadolinium Doped Ceria (GDC)
Lanthanum Strontium Ferrite (LSF) Lanthanum Strontium Gallate Magnesite Sputtering Target Lanthanum Strontium Manganese Oxide Nanoparticle Dispersion Lanthanum Strontium Manganese Oxide Nanoparticles / Nanopowder
Lanthanum Strontium Manganese Oxide Sputtering Target Lanthanum Strontium Manganite (LSM) Lanthanum Strontium Manganite (LSM) - Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) Lanthanum Strontium Manganite (LSM) Nanoparticles / Nanopowder
Lanthanum Strontium Manganite - Gadolinium Doped Ceria Lanthanum Strontium Manganite Paste Lanthanum Strontium Manganite/Zirconia Paste Lanthanum Strontium Titanium Manganese Oxide
Lanthanum Yttrium Germanate Lanthanum Yttrium Germanate Sputtering Target Lanthanum-Nickel-Aluminum Alloy Lithium Aluminate
Lithium Aluminate Sputtering Target Lithium Carbonate Lithium Iron(II) Silicate Magnesia Stabilized Zirconia (3.5 wt%)
Magnesia Stabilized Zirconia (4.5 Mol. %) Magnesia Stabilized Zirconia (5 Mol. %) Magnesia Stabilized Zirconia Powder Magnesia Stabilized Zirconia Rod
Magnesia Stabilized Zirconia Sheet Magnesium Aluminum Zirconium Oxide Manganese Cobalt Oxide, Spinel Powder Mesoporous Carbon
Neodymium Strontium Manganate Sputtering Target Nickel Cermet Nickel Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles / Nanopowder Nickel Foam
Nickel Gauze Nickel Ink Nickel Mesh Nickel Nanoparticle Dispersion
Nickel Nanoparticles Nickel Oxide Nickel Oxide - Gadolinia doped Ceria Nickel Oxide - Samaria doped Ceria (SDC) Anode
Nickel Oxide - Scandia Stabilized Zirconia (SCZ) Anode Nickel Oxide - Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (8 Mol. %) Anode Nickel Oxide - Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Anode Paste Nickel Oxide - Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Anode Tape
Nickel Oxide Anode Paste Nickel Oxide-ScCeSZ Anode Nickel Paste Nickel Wire
Nickel Zinc Iron Oxide Nanoparticles / Nanopowder Nickel(II) Oxide Nanoparticle Dispersion Nickel(II) Oxide Nanoparticles / Nanopowder Palladium Black
Palladium Conductor Paste Palladium Ink Palladium Nanoparticle Dispersion Palladium Nanoparticles
Palladium on Alumina Palladium on Barium Carbonate Palladium on Barium Sulfate Palladium on Calcium Carbonate
Palladium on Calcium Carbonate, Poisoned with Lead (Lindlar Catalyst) Palladium on Polyethylenimine/Silica Palladium on Silica Palladium on Strontium Carbonate
Palladium Wire Platinum Black Platinum coated Tantalum Anodes Platinum coated Titanium Anodes
Platinum coated Zirconium Anodes Platinum Cobalt on Carbon Platinum Conductor Paste Platinum Gauze
Platinum Ink Platinum Mesh Platinum Nanoparticle Dispersion Platinum Nanoparticles
Platinum Nanoparticles on Carbon Black Platinum Nanoparticles on Titania Platinum on Activated Charcoal Platinum on Alumina
Platinum on Barium Sulfate Platinum on Calcium Carbonate Platinum on Carbon Platinum on Silica
Platinum Rhodium Alloy Platinum Rhodium Alloy Sputtering Target Platinum Rhodium Crucible Platinum-Palladium on Carbon
Reduced Graphene Oxide Powder, decorated with Palladium Nanoparticles Rhodium on Carbon Samaria-doped Ceria (SDC) Samaria-doped Ceria (SDC) Sputtering Target
Samarium Nickel Oxide Sputtering Target Samarium Strontium Cobalt Oxide Samarium Strontium Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticle Dispersion Samarium Strontium Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles / Nanopowder
Scandia Ceria Stabilized Zirconia Scandia Stabilized Zirconia Sputtering Target Scandia Stabilized Zirconium Oxide Silver/Palladium Conductor Paste
Sodium Silica Gel Strontium Iron Molybdenum Oxide Yttria doped Ceria (YDC) Yttria Stabilized Bismuth Oxide
Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (12 Mol. %) Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (5 Mol. %) Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (6 Mol. %) Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Electrolyte Tape
Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Nanoparticle Dispersion Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Nanoparticles / Nanopowder Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Paste Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Sheet
Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Spheres Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Sputtering Target (8 Mol. %) Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Tube Yttria-Doped Ceria Sputtering Target
Yttrium Stabilized Zirconia Granule Yttrium Stabilized Zirconia Lump Yttrium-doped Barium Cerate Zirconium Nickel Alloy
Zirconium Nickel Alloy Powder Zirconium(IV) Oxide Yttria stabilized Nanoparticles / Nanopowder Zirconium(IV) Oxide, Yttria Stabilized Zirconium(IV) Oxide, Yttria Stabilized Pellets
Zirconium(IV) Oxide, Yttria stabilized Submicron Powder