Preparation of BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.2O3−δ thin membrane based on a novel method-drop coating

•We prepare the proton-conducting electrolyte by the drop coating method.•The method is simple and obtain electrolyte with high chemical stability.•We research the appropriate conditions for the preparation method.•Higher performance for the cell is obtained by adding the anode functional layer.

The thin membrane of a BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.2O3−δ (BYCZ) was fabricated on the porous NiO-BYCZ anode substrate through a novel method-drop coating. The intact cell was assembled with the cathode of La0.7Sr0.3FeO3−δ/BYCZ and tested from 600 to 700 °C with humidified hydrogen (∼3% H2O) as the fuel and the static air as the oxidant. We investigated the influence of different contents of BYCZ in the slurry and different pre-fired temperatures to the open-circuit potential and performance of the prepared cells. The results showed that the cell with 5% (wt) BYCZ in the slurry and pre-fired temperature of 500 °C had the highest open-circuit potential which indicated the densest electrolyte and the highest power density. Double-layer-drop-coating with the anode functional layer was also adopted and improved the cell performance to 377 mW cm−2 at 700 °C.