Mechanical Strength and Interface Adhesion of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell with Doped Ceria Electrolyte

Abstract

An SOFC must have sufficient mechanical strength and interface adhesion to ensure it can be handled without breakage during fabrication and assembly, and has desired performance and reliability. Methods for measuring mechanical properties and interface adhesion of an SOFC have been developed and measurements made on a cermet-supported SOFC with a SDC electrolyte. The SOFC evaluated had a porous NiO-YSZ substrate, a porous NiO-SDC anode and a dense SDC electrolyte fabricated using tape-casting, screen-printing and co-firing techniques. The flexural strength and interface adhesion of the substrate, the anode and the electrolyte, along with their Young’s modulus, hardness and residual stress, were quantitatively measured. The results of the measurements indicate that the NiO-YSZ supported, SDC electrolyte SOFC has adequate mechanical strength and sufficient interface adhesion.