A study of electrically insulated oxide substrates for flat-tube segmented-in-series solid oxide fuel cells

The reduction and oxidation (redox) durability and reforming activity of MgO–NiO–YSZ composites were examined to evaluate the suitability of MgO–NiO–YSZ composites as support materials for segmented-in-series solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cell stacks. The MgO–NiO–YSZ composites were compared with NiO–YSZ composites. The MgO–NiO–YSZ composites showed minimal size and structural changes during redox operations at 800 °C and a nearly equivalent reforming activity to NiO–YSZ composites at temperatures ranging from 600 °C to 800 °C in spite of their lower Ni content. MgO–NiO–YSZ composites are good candidates for the support materials in segmented-in-series (SIS)-type SOFC cell stacks.

► Characteristics of MgO–NiO–YSZ were examined for support materials in SIS-SOFC.
► MgO–NiO–YSZ showed minimal size and structural changes during redox at 800 °C.
► In spite of their low Ni content MgO–NiO–YSZ showed a high reforming activity.