A study of multilayer tape casting method for anode-supported planar type solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs)

In the present work, we have developed a multilayer tape casting and co-sintering process to fabricate large area anode-supported electrolyte film, which is critical for planar type reduced temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).Nickel/yttria-stabilized zirconia (Ni/YSZ), nickel/scandia-stabilized zirconia (Ni/ScSZ) cermets, ScSZ, Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 (CGO), and La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3−δ (LSCF)–CGO were used as materials of anode substrate, anode functional layer, electrolyte, interlayer and cathode, respectively. The powders of these functional layers were ball milled with organic additives to form slurries, which were assembled together with the multilayer tape casting procedure to get the green tapes. After dryness, the green tape was co-sintered at 1400 °C for 4 h in air to get the large area anode-supported electrolyte film (thickness ∼ 15 μm). For cells preparation, LSCF–CGO composite cathode was deposited by screen-printing method and sintered at 1100 °C for 3 h. The area-specific resistance (ASR) of the obtained single cell was found to be ∼0.99 Ω cm2 at 850 °C with H2/O2 as the operating gases, and the maximum power density achieved ∼0.63 W cm−2. The thickness of the (Zr,Ce)O2-based solid solution formed at the ScSZ/CGO interface during high temperature sintering was investigated.The results illustrate that fabrication of anode-supported electrolyte film for planar SOFCs with a CGO interlayer is possible by multilayer tape casting procedure, which is both cost-effective and feasible.