Creep behaviour of porous SOFC electrodes: Measurement and application to Ni-8YSZ cermets

A methodology is proposed in this study to investigate the creep properties of porous Ni-8YSZ cermet. Creep experiments have been conducted under reducing atmosphere at the typical SOFC operating temperatures. Specimens have been loaded in a four-point bending test bench. A special attention has been paid in this work to the analytical and numerical modelling of the mechanical test. It has been highlighted that Ni-8YSZ exhibits substantial creep strain rates even at relative low temperatures (700 °C < T < 850 °C). The creep exponent has been found to be just slightly higher than unity (1 < n < 2) while the activation energy has been determined equal to Q = 115 kJ mol−1.High-temperature plastic strains of both Ni and 8YSZ phases have been estimated through the local stress acting on the cermet particles. This analysis indicates that creep behaviour of the Ni-8YSZ composite is not influenced by the metallic phase, but is controlled by the deformation of the 8YSZ matrix. It is also proposed that cermet creep mechanism involves Zr4+cations diffusion at the surface rather than in the bulk of the 8YSZ material.Impact of the Ni-8YSZ cermet creep on the internal stresses distribution in SOFC is discussed considering the anode supported cell (ASC) design. It is shown that cermet creep strain can induce a substantial stress decrease in the thin electrolyte.