MANUFACTURING METHOD AND CURRENT COLLECTOR

A current collector layer (14) for an electrochemical air separation element and formation method. A slurry containing electrically conductive particles (18) having surface deposits of a metallic oxide on a metal or metal alloy conductor. The metallic oxide surface deposit constitutes a lower weight percentage of the electrically conductive particles than the metal or metal alloy. The slurry is applied to electrode layers (16) by, for example, dip coating techniques. The coated form is then fired to partly sinter the electrically conductive particles and thereby to obtain porous current collectro layers affixed to the electrode layers. The current collector (14) of the present invention is between about 5 microns and about 100 microns thick and preferably has a porosity of between about 10 percent and about 70 percent with pores (12) having a pore size of between about 0.1 microns and about 20 microns.