| abstract |
An oxygen welding apparatus capable of generating its oxygen needs without an external oxygen source from a self-contained solid state electrolytic cell which separates oxygen from the air. The cell employs a flexible, ductile ceramic composite as the solid electrolyte. The ductile ceramic composite electrolyte comprises a continuous, ordered, repeating, interconnected ductile metallic array substantially surrounded by and intimately integrated within a ceramic matrix. The cell is connected to a power supply so when current is passed through the cell, oxygen or nitrogen is separated from the air passing through the cell. |