High performance anode-supported tubular solid oxide fuel cells fabricated by a novel slurry-casting method

Tubular solid oxide fuel cells were fabricated and evaluated for their microstructure and electrochemical performance. The tubular substrate was prepared by casting NiO-Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) slurry on the inner wall of a plastic mold (tube). The wall thickness and uniformity were controlled by slurry viscosity and rotation speed of the tube. The cells consisted of Ni-YSZ functional anode, YSZ electrolyte and (La0.8Sr0.2)0.95MnO3-δ (LSM)-YSZ cathode prepared in sequence on the substrate by dip-coating and sintering. Their dimension was 50 mm in length, 0.8 mm in thickness and 10.5 mm in outside diameter. The peak power density of the cell at temperatures between 650 and 850°C was in the range from 85 to 522 mW cm−2 and was greatly enhanced to the range from 308 to 1220 mW cm−2 by impregnating PdO into LSM-YSZ cathode. During a cell testing at 0.7 A cm−2 and 750°C for 282 h, the impregnated PdO particles grew by coalescence, which increased the cathode polarization resistance and so that decreased the cell performance. According to the degradation tendency, the cell performance will be stabilized in a longer run.