EB-PVD deposition of spinel coatings on metallic materials and silicon wafers

• MnCo2O4 and MnCo1.9Fe0.1O4 were deposited on metallic and Si substrates by EB-PVD.
• Deposited materials on metallic substrates avoid chromium migration.
• ASR of cells in contact with coated alloys decrease after oxidation test.
• Cell assembled with MnCo2O4/Conicro 4023 W 188 is the more promising system.

Spinel oxides are promising materials as protective coatings on metallic interconnects to reduce the area specific resistance (ASR) at high operating temperature in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). In this work, the deposition of MnCo2O4 (MC) and MnCo1.9Fe0.1O4 (MCF10) materials (1 μm) on Si substrates and commercial alloys (Crofer 22 APU, SS430 and Conicro 4023 W 188) by electron beam physical vapour deposition (EB-PVD) was studied. Optimisation of deposition, the effectiveness of MC and MCF10 protective layers and the influence of the deposition method were investigated after oxidation at 800 °C for 100 h in air. Significant improvements in Cr poisoning of the cathode and in ASR were observed in cells assembled with coated versus uncoated samples. The best results were obtained with cells assembled with MC/Conicro 4023 W 188 with MC deposited by EB-PVD.