Fabrication of YSZ/GDC bilayer electrolyte thin film for solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

Yttria-stablized zirconia (YSZ) is the most commonly used electrolyte material, but the reduction in working temperature leads to insufficient ionic conductivity. Ceria based electrolytes (GDC) are more attractive in terms of conductivity at low temperature, but these materials are well known to be reducible at very low oxygen partial pressure. The reduction of electrolyte resistivity is necessary to overcome cell performance losses. So, thin YSZ/GDC bilayer technology seems suitable for decreasing the electrolyte resistance at lower operating temperatures. Bilayer electrolytes composed of a galdolinium-doped CeO2 (Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95, GDC) layer and yttria-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) layer with various thicknesses were deposited by RF sputtering and E-beam evaporation. The bilayer electrolytes were deposited between porous Ni-GDC anode and LSM cathode for anode-supported single cells. Thin film structure and surface morphology were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), using CuKα-radiation in the range of 2ce morphol℃. The XRD patterns exhibit a well-formed cubic fluorite structure, and sharp lines of XRD peaks can be observed, which indicate a single solid solution. The morphology and size of the prepared particles were investigated by fieldemission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The performance of the cells was evaluated over 500~800℃, using humidified hydrogen as fuel, and air as oxidant.