High-speed laser cladding (Fe,Cu)-dopped Ni-Co protective coatings for SOFC MICs: From long-term oxidation behavior to mechanical stability

The long-term operation of intermediate temperature-solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) could be significantly influenced by the stability of the interconnect itself, especially, its oxidation resistance under the cathode environment. To effectively prevent Cr-volatilization and improve the interconnector performance, application of highly dense and stable protective coatings over the interconnector is indispensable. In this work, Ni-Co-based alloy protective coatings doped with Fe and Cu were applied onto the 441 interconnector via a novel high-speed laser cladding technology. The microstructure evolution, phase composition, oxidation resistance, electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of the coated steels were investigated at different oxidation stages at 800 degrees C. It was found that the Ni33.8Co34Fe32.2-coated-coated steel shows the best oxidation resistance and electrical properties. The oxidation rate (k(p)) and ASR of Ni33.8Co34Fe32.2-coated steel is respectively 4.44 x 10(-13) g(2) cm(-4) s(-1) and 25.55 m Omega cm(2), significantly lower than the uncoated steel and Ni44.6Co44.7Cu10.7-coated steel at the end of 1000-h test cycle. The resultant conductivity of the Ni44.6Co44.7Cu10.7 and Ni33.8Co34Fe32.2-coated steels is approximately 7.8 and 4.1 S cm(-1), respectively, which could meet the requirement for SOFC stacks. In addition, the nano-hardness of the Ni33.8Co34Fe32.2 and Ni44.6Co44.7Cu10.7-coated steels was found to be 8.3 GPa and 8.8 GPa, respectively, through nanoindentation testing. The improved surface hardness is attributed to grain refinement and increased oxide content on the coating surface. The results indicated that the Ni-Co-based alloy coatings effectively improved the long-term stability and mechanical property of the 441 interconnector under the SOFC cathode environment.