Thin film fuel cells with vanadium oxide anodes: Strain and stoichiometry effects

Thin film solid oxide fuel cells incorporating vanadium oxide anodes having open circuit potential of 1 V with hydrogen fuel have been realized. The as-deposited anode stoichiometry was varied by choice of growth conditions of vanadium oxide and a striking correlation to fuel cell performance (open circuit potential and peak power density) is observed. Possible mechanisms leading to the experimental observations based on calculated thermodynamic phase stability under fuel cell operating environments, spectroscopic analysis of the anodes and strain-related arguments are presented.