All-Inkjet-Printed Thin-Film Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

Abstract

Inkjet printing is a rapid prototyping tool that allows users to easily and quickly produce thin-film devices with inks containing desired functional materials. For example, users can use Computer-Aided Design or MS Office software to draw a pattern image and then simply "print" it to create wide, complex thin film devices made of a variety of functional materials. Therefore, inkjet printing can be effectively used to design and prototype thin film-based solid state devices for evaluating the properties of ion-conducting membranes or electrocatalysts.Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are one of the thin film based-solid state ionic devices that can produce electric energy in an eco-friendly way. SOFCs operating at high temperature have the advantages of high cogeneration efficiency and fuel flexibility, but their wide application is limited due to reduced long-term durability and high system cost. Accordingly, many studies have been conducted to develop the thin film-based SOFCs capable of high-performance driving in a low-temperature range.[1,2] Incorporation of nanoscale-thick ceramic electrolytes into SOFCs can minimize energy loss due to slow ion transport in the low-temperature region and achieve high power output.In this study, we demonstrated the applicability of inkjet printing to the fabrication of thin-film-based SOFCs containing nanoscale-thick yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte.[3] Our study was performed using a low-price HP inkjet printer and the structural design of thin film-based SOFC was controlled by the MS Office software. A functional ceramic ink including an electrode and an electrolyte material, respectively, was synthesized to have fluidity suitable for printing. A full inkjet-printed SOFC with nanoscale-thick YSZ electrolyte achieved a peak power density of 730 mw/cm2 at 650°C and a robust durability of 0.0002V h-1. It is significant in that economic feasibility and long-term stability are increasingly emerging as important attributes in terms of generalization of SOFC technology.