A critical component of alkali metal thermal-to electric converter (AMTEC) devices for long duration space missions is the sodium beta -alumina solid electrolyte ceramic (BASE), for which there exists no substitute. The major phase in this ceramic, sodium beta -alumina shows no evidence of thermal decomposition in AMTEC environments including clean liquid sodium and low pressure sodium gas, at temperatures below 1173K, or in vacuum below 1273K. This paper presents additional results of ionic conductivity and exchange current studies in sodium exposure test cells (SETCs) to characterize the changes occurring in BASE below 1273K in low pressure sodium vapor. Also presented are additional annealing studies to characterize the kinetics of processes occurring in the BASE ceramic in the AMTEC operating regime.


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    Title :

    Thermal stability of beta -alumina solid electrolyte under AMTEC operating conditions



    Conference:

    SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL FORUM - 2000 ; 2000 ; Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)


    Published in:

    AIP Conference Proceedings ; 504 , 1 ; 1408-1411


    Publication date :

    2000-01-19


    Size :

    4 pages





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



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