Spray Pyrolysis Deposition of Electrolyte and Anode for Metal-Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

Abstract

Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer many advantages, including increased robustness, improved thermal shock resistance, and decreased cost. However, fabricating metal-supported SOFCs using conventional techniques is both very difficult and very costly. In this study, two processes of spray pyrolysis deposition, pneumatic spray deposition and electrostatic spray deposition, were used to deposit samaria-doped ceria (SDC) electrolytes on different substrates and NiO-SDC anodes on porous stainless steel substrates. A cathode layer was subsequently applied on the electrolyte by stencil printing for electrochemical testing. The test results indicated that the electrolyte had reasonable cell performance, but the topography of the anode needed optimization. It was also discovered that the porous ferritic stainless steel 430 substrate used in this study did not have sufficient oxidation resistance as the substrate of a metal-supported SOFC. © 2008 The Electrochemical Society.