Abstract
In roll-to-roll (R2R) processing, web uniformity is a crucial factor that can guarantee high coating quality. To understand web defects due to thermal deformation, we analyzed the effect of web unevenness on the coating quality of an yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) layer, a brittle electrolyte of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). We used finite-element analysis to study thermal and mechanical deformations at different drying temperature levels. A YSZ layer was also coated using R2R slot-die coating to observe the effect of web unevenness on coating quality. Web unevenness was generated by thermal deformation due to conduction and convection heat from the dryer. Because of varying web unevenness with time, the YSZ layer developed cracks. At higher drying temperatures, more coating defects with larger widths were generated. Results indicated that web unevenness at the coating section led to coating defects that could damage the SOFCs and decrease yield in the R2R process. Coating defects generated by web unevenness caused by convection and conduction heat should be considered in the high-volume production of brittle electrolytes using the R2R process.
Highlights
The roll-to-roll manufacturing (R2R) process is ecofriendly and low-cost, and has the advantage of mass production, which makes it attractive in manufacturing flexible electronic devices such as thin film transistors and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) [1,2,3,4,5]
Web unevenness could be generated by thermal deformation due to conduction and convection heat from the dryer, but the amplitudes and positions of the peaks and valleys of the uneven wave-form changed when the web moved in the dryer
The amplitude of web unevenness rose with increasing drying temperature, and web unevenness in the dryer eventually spread to the coating section
Summary
The roll-to-roll manufacturing (R2R) process is ecofriendly and low-cost, and has the advantage of mass production, which makes it attractive in manufacturing flexible electronic devices such as thin film transistors and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) [1,2,3,4,5]. Previous studies mainly considered tension fluctuation in the web due to the velocity variations of driven rollers and temperature disturbances in the dryer in the R2R process. It is essential to study defects at the inlet of the dryer during the coating of a brittle material to obtain a high-quality electrolyte layer in the R2R process. We analyzed the effect of thermal deformation in the tensioned web and web unevenness near the inlet of the dryer on the coating quality of a brittle electrolytic layer. Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), an electrolyte of SOFCs, was coated by an R2R slot-die coating process at various drying temperature levels to clearly observe the effects of web unevenness on the coating quality of the YSZ layer and the performance of the SOFCs that were fabricated using this layer
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