Preparation of Ceria Based Metal-supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells by Direct Assembly Method

doi:10.15541/jim20240498

Abstract

Abstract:

Traditional metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (MS-SOFCs) typically utilize yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) as the electrolyte with operating temperature of about 800 ℃. In order to enable MS-SOFC to serve at low temperature, this study used gadolinium doped ceria (GDC), which exhibits higher conductivity at lower temperature, as the electrolyte to facilitate the practical application of MS-SOFC. Tape casting was employed to fabricate thin-film anodes (NiO-GDC) and electrolytes (GDC), while ultrasonic spraying was used to prepare the cathode material La_0.6Sr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3-_δ(LSCF)-GDC. The resulting components were assembled onto a metal support to construct an MS-SOFC with a thin-film GDC electrolyte, and its electrochemical performance was evaluated. At 650 ℃, the total impedance of the cell was 0.50 Ω·cm², with Ohmic impedance of 0.23 Ω·cm² and polarization impedance of 0.27 Ω·cm², and the maximum power density was 336 mW/cm². The cell was operated at 550 ℃ under a constant voltage of 0.5 V for 100 h without significant degradation. Its electrolyte and anode, which were prepared by warm isostatic pressing and co-sintering, were tightly bonded. After long-term operation, no delamination between layers of the cell was observed, indicating that structural stability ensured the long-term stability of the MS-SOFC. MS-SOFCs in this study prepared via a process route combining tape casting, warm isostatic pressing, and direct assembly, displayed excellent electrochemical performance and long-term stability, providing a new approach for industrial production of low-temperature SOFCs.

Key words: metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell, tape casting, gadolinium doped ceria

CLC Number:

TQ174

CHAI Runyu, ZHANG Zhen, WANG Menglong, XIA Changrong. Preparation of Ceria Based Metal-supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells by Direct Assembly Method[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2025, 40(7): 765-771.

Figures/Tables 6

Table 1 Composition of casting slurries (in mass, %)

Slurry		Electrolyte	Anode
Powder	GDC	45	12
Powder	NiO	0	28
Solvent	Ethanol	25.5	28.5
Solvent	2-Butanone	14	16
Dispersant	Triethanolamine	1.5	1.5
Plasticizer	PEG-400	4	4
Plasticizer	Dibutyl phthalate	5	5
Binder	PVA	5	5

Fig. 1 Picture of anode-electrolyte composite green tape (yellow showing electrolyte side and green showing anode side)

Fig. 2 Linear expansion curves of anode and electrolyte

Fig. 3 MS-SOFC for stack level

Fig. 4 SEM images of MS-SOFC (a) Cross-section; (b) Cross-sectional junction between anode and electrolyte; (c) Surface of electrolyte; (d) Bond between the nickel mesh and the cell; (e) Bond between the nickel mesh and the cell after operation at 550 ℃ for 100 h

Fig. 5 Electrochemical performance of MS-SOFC (a) I-V-P curves of the cell at 500-650 ℃; (b) Performance of MS-SOFC in this study and other literature[24-29] at 650 ℃, and corresponding electrolyte materials used and their thickness; (c) Nyquist plots of a single cell at 500-650 ℃; (d) DRT curves of a single cell at 500-650 ℃; (e) Stability performance of the cell running at 550 ℃ and 0.5 V for 100 h. Colorful figures are available on website

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