Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell mini-stack with single in situ firing at 950 °C☆

Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (MS-SOFCs) are the most promising type of fuel cells for intermidiate temperature range (500 degrees C-700 degrees C) due to their mechanical robustness, high power density and low demand for expensive materials. Nevertheless, fabrication of MS-SOFCs is intrinsically difficult due to necessity to obtain consolidated ceramic and composite layers on the easily oxidizable metal substrate, which often leads to long and multi-stage high temperature firing when using controlled atmosphere firing or to low conductivity when using air firing. This study demonstrated fabrication route, utilizing combination of dry powder deposition method (Aerosol deposition) and magnetron sputtering method, for stacks of MS-SOFCs with single in situ firing of all membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) at 950 degrees C. The temperature cycling of the stack was conducted with the maximum heating rate 500 degrees C/hour.