Fabrication of Innovative Compliant Current Collector-Supported Microtubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

In this work, an innovative compliant current collector-supported microtubular solid oxide fuel cell has been designed and produced. A nickel wire is coiled around carbon-composite rods to fabricate the cells support, and dip coating technique is used to deposit the anode and the electrolyte from ceramic slurries containing NiO/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and YSZ, respectively. Pyrolizable materials are eliminated by heat treatment in air at 800°C; the half-cell is then sintered in Ar at 1380°C to avoid the oxidation of the Ni wire whose compliance allows to minimize stresses generated during heat treatments. The cathode consists of two layers made by lanthanum strontium manganate-YSZ mixture and pure lanthanum strontium manganate co-sintered at 1150°C. Electrochemical I-V characterization of single microtubular solid oxide fuel cells points out great potentiality of the innovative architecture demonstrated by the maximum power output of ∼200 mW/cm 2 at 800°C under a wet H 2 fuel flow. © 2011 The American Ceramic Society.