Boosting solid oxide fuel cell performance: Via electrolyte thickness reduction and cathode infiltration

Beom Kyeong Park, Scott A. Barnett*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

75 Scopus citations

Abstract

Increasing the power density and reducing the operating temperature of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is important for improving commercial viability. Here we discuss two strategies for achieving such improvements in Ni-YSZ supported SOFCs-electrolyte thickness reduction and cathode infiltration. Microstructural and electrochemical results are presented showing the effect of reducing YSZ/GDC electrolyte thickness from 8 to 2.5 μm, and the effect of PrOx infiltration into the LSCF-GDC cathode. Both of these measures are effective, particularly at lower temperatures, leading to an increase in the maximum power density at 650 °C from 0.4 to 0.95 W cm-2, for example. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy utilizing subtractive analysis shows that PrOx enhances the cathode charge transfer process. Reducing the electrolyte thickness reduces not only the cell ohmic resistance but also the electrode polarization resistance. The latter effect appears to be an artifact associated with a slight increase in the steam partial pressure at the anode due to minor gas leakage across the thinner electrolyte.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)11626-11631
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Materials Chemistry A
Volume8
Issue number23
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 21 2020

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge Qian Zhang for calculating the electrolyte leakage current using an electrolyte transport model. The work was supported nancially by the Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory under Prime Award Number DE-FE0027584 to FuelCell Energy, Inc., and under Subaward to Northwestern University.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • General Materials Science

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