A newly-developed effective direct current assisted sintering technique for electrolyte film densification of anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells

► A DC assisted sintering technique was developed for electrolyte film densification. ► A fully dense YSZ film was obtained with a short sintering time and low temperature. ► The grain growth was inhibited during the DC assisted sintering process. ► The perfect cell performance ascribed to the fine YSZ film and good anode structure. ► This technique may provide a promising way to fabricate nano-structured cells.