Ink‐Jet Printing: A Versatile Method for Multilayer Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Fabrication

Abstract

The potential of ink‐jet printing for fabrication of components for solid oxide fuel cells has been explored. An anode interlayer, consisting of a composite of NiO and yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ), and an electrolyte layer, YSZ (8 mol%), were ink‐jet printed on a tape cast anode support, 55 wt% NiO–45 wt% YSZ (8 mol%). Scanning electron microscopy of the printed layers sintered at 1400°C revealed a dense electrolyte layer measuring 10–12 μm in thickness. Single cells using these printed layers and strontium‐doped lanthanum manganate (LSM, La0.8Sr0.2MnO3)‐based pasted cathodes were assessed by DC polarization and AC complex impedance methods. The cells exhibited a stable open circuit voltage of 1.1 V around 800°C, in a hydrogen atmosphere. A maximum power density of 500 m·(W·cm)−2 was achieved at 850°C for a typical cell with the electrolyte and anode interlayer cosintered at 1400°C. A composite cathode interlayer, LSM–YSZ, and a cathode current collection layer, LSM, were also ink‐jet printed and incorporated in single cells. However, cells with all components ink‐jet printed showed decreased performance. This pointed to critical issues in the composite cathode microstructure, which is controlled by the composite ink design/formulation and printing parameters that need to be addressed.

Fabrication of thin yttria-stabilized-zirconia dense electrolyte layers by inkjet printing for high performing solid oxide fuel cells

“…8). This is more than ten times greater than the theoretical resistance expected from the electrolyte layer in the tested cell, but on the other hand a quite similar offset of 50e60 mU cm 2 is often seen and has previously been reported with a 10 mm thick ink-jet printed YSZ electrolyte [35]. Additionally, the cathode deposition method was reported to affect the series resistance [35].…”

Three-dimensional printed yttria-stabilized zirconia self-supported electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cell applications

“…Regarding the electrolyte, several of these studies have been devoted to the fabrication of dense yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) layers with a thickness below 10 μm onto different porous and dense substrates. Li et al [17], Tomov et al [18], and Sukeshini et al [19] deposited fully functional YSZ electrolytes by inkjet printing directly on tape cast and pre-sintered NiO-YSZ cermet substrates typically used in anode-supported SOFCs. Full SOFCs based on these inkjet-printed dense electrolytes were fabricated in all cases showing excellent open circuit voltages (OCVs), OCV = 1.1, 1.01 and 1.05 V, respectively, operating under hydrogen at 800ºC.…”

Development of an impedance-based sensor for detection of catalyst coking in fuel reforming systems

“…Inkjet printing has been used successfully to produce ceramics parts including solid oxide fuel cells [19,20,21]. To allow the rapid, well-controlled production of samples, the sensor was manufactured using a Fujifilm Dimatix DMP-2800 materials printer.…”