Enhanced performance of an anode-supported YSZ thin electrolyte fuel cell with a laser-deposited Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 interlayer

A power density of over 1.4 W cm−2 at 0.7 V was achieved at 750 °C for an anode-supported YSZ thin electrolyte fuel cell with a dense Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (SDC) interlayer fabricated by pulsed laser deposition, while the cell with a conventional porous SDC interlayer exhibited only 0.8 W cm−2 at this voltage. The dense SDC interlayer significantly reduced the ohmic resistance of the fuel cell. For example, at 750 °C, the ohmic resistance of the fuel cell with a dense SDC interlayer was 0.08 Ω cm2; while that of the cell with a porous SDC interlayer fabricated by conventional screen-printing was 0.16 Ω cm2. The pronounced reduction in ohmic resistance might be due to the fully dense structure and thus improved electrical conductivity of the SDC interlayer, increased contact area at the interface between the dense SDC interlayer and the YSZ electrolyte, and suppressed Zr migration into the SDC interlayer.