Microstructure and Performance Analysis of Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Synthesized on Inert Al2O3 Substrates

Abstract

Low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFC) are usually fabricated using ultra-thin yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolyte films and Pt electrodes. This paper studies the possibility of creating LT-SOFCs using the traditional ceramic materials such as the NiO/GDC (GDC - gadolinium doped ceria) anode, GDC electrolyte, and La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 (LSC) cathode. The anode/electrolyte bilayer structure is prepared on porous anodic aluminium oxide substrates using magnetron sputtering. The microstructure of the obtained bilayer structure is investigated before and after high-temperature annealing in air. The fuel cells are fabricated with the LSC cathode; their current-voltage characteristic and electrochemical impedance spectra are measured in the temperature range of 450–600°C.