Fabrication and Characterization of Freeze Tape Cast Anode Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

There has been increasing interest in clean renewable energy generation for alternative use to traditional fossil fuels. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have been at the forefront of this technology and are considered one of the promising technologies in this area. SOFCs ability to operate on hydrogen or hydrocarbon fuels makes them highly attractive. The current work devoted to the SOFC focuses on understanding it fundamentally in both fuel cell mode for power generation and electrolysis mode for fuel production. The focus on SOFCs has yielded exciting novel fabrication techniques that can provide distinct advantages within the fuel cell.;This manuscript concentrates on the novel freeze tape casting technique, which was developed as a direct mean of forming and controlling complex pore structures in ceramic materials. The work detailed in this paper examines on the fundamental aspects of freeze tape casting to understand and ultimately control the variables influencing the process. Electrochemical testing is performed to validate this method and its ability to produce high performing SOFCs. The microstructure was examined to determine distinct and valuable variables obtained via this method i.e. porosity, tortuosity. Electrochemical testing is performed to validate this method and its ability to produce high performing SOFCs. Using various methods to investigate the microstructure, an acicular porous structure has been obtained using this method at differing porosities. The electrochemical performance, using these substrates, has shown power densities as high as 1.28 Wcm-2 at 800°C. These freeze tape cast scaffolds have also shown significant reductions in polarization resistances (Rp). A cell employing a Ni-YSZ delivery layer, Ni-YSZ functional layer (FL), YSZ electrolyte, and LSM cathode displayed Rp of 0.56, 0.29, and 0.16 O cm2 at 700, 750 and 800°C, respectively.;Using freeze tape casting, the cell performance has been significantly improved by using the novel acicular structure, due to dramatically decreased polarization resistance. The novel structure also improves mass transport further validating the novel freeze tape casting technique.