Performance improvement and redox cycling of a micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cell with a porous zirconia support

•Novel micro-tubular SOFC performance improved by microstructural feature control.•Only conventional SOFC materials were used.•Maximum power densities of 710, 591, 445, 316 mW cm−2 at 850, 800, 750, 700 °C.•Redox cycling of micro-tubular SOFC by exposing anode to H2 and ambient air.•Good redox phenomenon tolerance without cell performance degradation up to 10 redox cycles.

The performance of a novel micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with an inert support and an integrated current collector for the inner electrode was improved by controlling its microstructural features. Multi-step dip coating and co-sintering methods were used to fabricate the cell containing porous yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), Ni, Ni–YSZ, YSZ, strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM)–YSZ, and LSM as the inert support, anode current collector, anode, electrolyte, cathode, and cathode current collector, respectively. To enhance gas diffusion through the YSZ support by properly tailoring its porosity, a combination of micro-crystalline cellulose and polymethyl methacrylate pore formers was used. Additionally, the porosity of the Ni current collector was improved and the LSM–YSZ cathode was sufficiently thick for high oxygen reduction activity. Owing to its optimized microstructure, the micro-tubular SOFC delivered excellent power output with maximum power densities of 710, 591, 445, and 316 mW cm−2 at 850, 800, 750, and 700 °C, respectively. The effect of redox cycling on cell performance was investigated by alternately exposing the anode to fuel and air atmospheres. The cell had good tolerance toward the redox phenomenon with no apparent degradation in its performance up to 10 redox cycles.