Investigation of the Electrode-Electrolyte Interfaces in Solid Oxide Cells

Abstract

The interface between electrodes and electrolyte in a solid oxide cell (SOC) are critical locations for cell performance. These interfaces originate from the chemical interaction of two different materials during processing. Different mechanisms can degrade cell performance on the air and fuel side, which necessitates different approaches to mitigate these effects. Here, materials interaction during processing is discussed for selected materials on the air side of an SOC. A new approach to obtain barrier layers of doped ceria with submicron thickness is introduced, and it is confirmed that only the interdiffusion layer between ceria and zirconia is necessary to prevent the formation of SrZrO3. Furthermore, the effect of the microstructure of a GDC layer on the sintering of a perovskite air electrode in this layer is investigated. It is demonstrated that the morphology of the GDC layer has an impact on the quality of the interface between air electrode and barrier layer.