Rheological effect of particle volume fraction and chemical additives on tape casting slurry optimization for solid oxide fuel cells application

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of particle volume fraction and various chemical additives on tape-casting slurries from a rheological perspective. Tape casting, a method prevalently employed for fabricating substrates for fuel cells, dictates the morphological characteristics of the substrates contingent upon the slurry properties. These characteristics are modulated not solely by the intrinsic properties of the ceramic particles but also through the incorporation of chemical additives. The rheological properties of the slurry were scrutinized through various methodologies, with alterations in parameters and particle characteristics. Moreover, the relationship between the rheological properties and the green body was elucidated by examining mechanical properties, such as bending strength. Subsequently, leveraging the anode support generated through this methodology, a cell is fabricated. Performance evaluations substantiate a maximum power density of 2.41W/cm2 in a fuel cell (FC) mode, a current density of 0.84A/cm2 at 1.3V in electrolysis cell (EC) mode at 700 °C is evidenced, indirectly signifying adequate dispersion and the presence of pores at the anode support even without pore former. Next, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is conducted, followed by an in-depth analysis employing the distribution of relaxation times (DRT) technique. The findings confirm the successful fabrication of an electrochemically stable and robust fuel cell.