Atmospheric pressure plasma jet fabricating of porous silver electrocatalyst as a promising approach to the creation of cathode layers of low temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

Abstract Silver (Ag) electrocatalysts as cathode layers for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs) are prepared using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ). The material characteristics of APPJ-coated silver are observed by an X-ray diffractometer and a field-emission scanning electron microscope. The porous cathode films, composed of Ag nanoparticles coated on YSZ electrolytes are observed. The porous Ni anodic layer is also prepared via an APPJ process on the other side of the YSZ. The values of area specific resistance and conductivities of Ag|YSZ are linearly increased with increasing operating temperatures. High conductivities of 139.6 and 143.2 S/cm are obtained at 550 and 600 °C, respectively. The exchange current and power density at 600 °C are 497.9 mA/cm2 and 108.4 mW/cm2, respectively. The AC impedance shows the two oxygen pathways, surface and bulk, of Ag electrocatalysts as reflected by the responses at low and high frequencies, respectively. Furthermore, LT-SOFCs which consist of cathode|electrolyte|anode are fabricated by APPJ technology in a fast-coating process.