Proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells with yttrium-doped barium zirconate electrolyte films sintered at reduced temperatures

Abstract

Barium zirconate-based high-temperature proton conductors have not been widely used as electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) due to the poor sintering activity and the difficulty in preparing dense and highly conductive electrolyte films. In this work, thin BaZr0.8Y0.2O3-δ (BZY) proton-conducting electrolyte films were prepared by a conventional dry-pressing method followed by sintering in flowing oxygen. BZY films got fully dense after sintered at a low temperature of 1350 °C for 5 h. Single cells with BZY electrolyte films prepared at various temperatures were assembled and tested. The influence of sintering temperature on the morphology of BZY films and electrochemical performances of single cells was investigated. Besides, the open circuit voltages of the single cells as well as those previously reported BZY-based SOFCs were also discussed.