A Novel Method to Fabricate Inert Substrate-Supported Microtubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cells by Selective Leaching

Abstract

Microtubular solid oxide fuel cells (mT-SOFCs) are promising electrochemical energy conversion devices due to their high volumetric power density, capability of bearing high thermal stresses, and rapid start up. The inert substrate-supported mT-SOFCs have an additional advantage of high reduction–oxidation (redox) cycling stability. In this study, a novel method is suggested to fabricate inert substrate-supported mT-SOFC by leaching out the nickel from an anode supported mT-SOFC that has an anode functional layer. The anode supported mT-SOFCs were prepared by a sequential dip coating and co-firing process. The manufactured inert substrate-supported mT-SOFCs possess the configuration of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) support/Ni–Scandia stabilized zirconedia (ScSZ) anode/ScSZ electrolyte/strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM)-ScSZ cathode/LSM cathode current collector. Selective leaching of the nickel from the Ni-YSZ composite was used in conjunction with the burn out of microcrystalline cellulose pore-former for the proper tuning of porosity and facilitating the gas diffusion through the inert support. The effectiveness of this approach on enhancing the fuel cell performance will be discussed. Figure 1