Screen-printed BaCe0.8Sm0.2O3−δ thin membrane solid oxide fuel cells with surface modification by spray coating

Screen-printing technology was employed to fabricate BaCe0.8Sm0.2O3−δ (BCS) electrolyte membranes on porous NiO–BCS anode substrates. With a mixture of BCS and La0.7Sr0.3FeO3−σ as cathode, a single cell with 16 μm thick BCS electrolyte generated maximum power densities of 222, 141, 72 mW/cm2 at 700, 650 and 600 °C, respectively. After the electrolyte surface was modified by spray coating, the single cell with 16 μm thick BCS electrolyte generated maximum power densities of 352, 241, 125 mW/cm2 at 700, 650 and 600 °C, respectively. The improved performance of the fuel cell was attributed to the surface modification by spray coating promoting the adherence of the cathode to electrolyte, which was confirmed by both scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation and impedance measurement. The results illustrate that screen-printing technology with spray coating is a simple and low cost method for preparing thin electrolyte membranes of protonic ceramic fuel cells.