Approaches for co-sintering metal-supported proton-conducting solid oxide cells with Ba(Zr,Ce,Y,Yb)O3-δ electrolyte

Published on May 21st, 2019. Proton conducting oxide electrolyte materials could potentially lower the operating temperature of metal-supported solid oxide cells (MS-SOCs) to the intermediate range 400 to 600 °C. The porous metal substrate provides the advantages of MS-SOCs such as high thermal and redox cycling tolerance, low-cost of structural materials, and mechanical ruggedness. In this work, the viability of co-sintering fabrication of metal-supported proton conducting solid oxide cells using BaZr1-x-yCexYyO3-δ (BZCY) is investigated. BZCY ceramics are sintered at 1450 °C in reducing environment alone and supported on FeCr alloy metal support, and key characteristics such as Ba loss, sintering behavior, and chemical compatibility with metal support are determined. Critical challenges are identified for this fabrication approach, including: Contamination of the electrolyte with Si and Cr from the metal support, incomplete electrolyte sintering, and evaporation of electrolyte constituents. Various approaches to overcome these limitations are proposed, and preliminary assessment indicates that the use of barrier layers, low-Si-content stainless steel, and sintering aids warrant further development.