Mesh patterned electrolyte supports for high‐performance solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

In this study, the surface of solid oxide fuel cell electrolyte is decorated with different patterns by mesh pressing to improve the cell performance by increasing the surface area of electrolyte–electrode interfaces. Six various woven and unwoven metal meshes with different mesh gaps are considered in this respect. The patterned electrolyte surfaces are scanned by a profilometer to obtain the surface properties created by each mesh. Electrolyte supported cells are fabricated and tested to investigate the effects of electrolyte surface patterning on the cell performance. A cell with a flat electrolyte support is also manufactured and tested as a reference case. Impedance analyses are performed for a detailed examination beside microstructural observations via a scanning electron microscope. Under the same lamination conditions, woven meshes provide surface patterns with relatively higher average roughness values. Among the cases studied, the cell treated with a woven mesh having 0.57-mm wire diameter and 2-mm mesh gap on a side exhibits the highest maximum performance of 0.626 W cm−2 at 800°C, whereas that of the reference cell is only 0.320 W cm−2, indicating that the performance of the reference cell can be almost doubled by the simple method suggested in this study. The impedance results show that the improvement in the cell performances is due to reduced electrode polarizations and ohmic resistance via mesh pressing, resulted from increased surface area of electrode–electrolyte interfaces and partially reduced electrolyte thickness as confirmed by microstructural observations, respectively.