Fabrication of the Anode Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells by Tape-Casting Process and Infiltration Method

Abstract

The hydrogen is promising energy carrier due to its high energy density, convenient transportation, eternal sources in the earth and cleanness. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have not been commercialized yet even though it has been studied for decades. The issues about solid oxide fuel cells are manufacturing process and electrochemical performance. Tape-casting process has an advantage of cost reduction for mass production. it is reported that infiltration improves electrochemical performance of SOFCs by enhancing the three phase boundary (TPB) and porosity. To fabricate the electrode with porous scaffold structure for infiltration, pore formers were added in the tape-casting slurry. In this study, four types of mixtures of several pore formers such as carbon black, graphite, poly methyl methacrylate and glassy carbon were estimated. Micro structure of each type is investigated through scanning electron microscope (SEM). The thickness of the unit cell manufactured by tape-casting is in the range of 200 - 250 μm. The fabricated unit cell with carbon black and glassy carbon shows the open circuit voltage 1.07 V at 800°C. As a result of the study, mixed ratio of pore formers was researched for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells manufacturing process applied by tape-casting and infiltration method.