Fabrication of solid oxide fuel cell based on doped ceria electrolyte by one-step sintering at 800 °C

Ce0.8Gd0.05Y0.15O1.9 (GYDC) electrolyte was prepared by a carbonate co-precipitation method. Lithium nitrate at 1, 1.5, 2 and 3 mol% was added to GYDC as sintering additive. 96% relative density was achieved for GYDC at sintering temperature of 800 °C with addition of 1.5 mol% LiNO3. The conductivities of GYDC with sintering aids LiNO3 were measured by a.c. impedance spectroscopy and showed comparable values to that of pure GYDC sample sintered at 1400 °C. A single cell with 1.5 mol% LiNO3 infiltrated GYDC electrolyte was fabricated by sintering at 800 °C for only 2 h. Lithiated NiO was synthesized by the glycine-nitrate combustion method and employed as cathode material. The cell was tested at temperatures from 500 to 575 °C and a maximum power density of 73 mW cm− 2 was obtained at 575 °C. These preliminary results indicate that LiNO3 is a very effective sintering additive for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell fabrication.

► A solid oxide fuel cell fabricated at a temperature as low as 800 °C. ► Single-step sintering to fabricate an solid oxide fuel cell. ► The fuel cell performance is not good due to poor electrolyte/electrode interfaces.