Publication date: 10th April 2024
Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (MS-SOFCs) are gaining attention for their economic advantages, robust mechanical properties, and resilience to thermal cycling. Nevertheless, gas transport may be impeded by the dense and irregular microstructure of the support material, which would reduce electrochemical efficiency. To address this challenge, we have employed polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), a pore-forming agent which can create a uniform pore distribution. In this study, PMMA was mixed with the support powder at various ratios to fabricate MS-SOFCs with a consistent porous microstructure. The single cell architecture comprised a support (NiO-Fe2O3), an anode (NiO-YSZ), and an electrolyte (Yttria-stabilized zirconia, YSZ), all co-sintered at 1350°C. The composite cathode (La1-xSrxMnO3(LSM)-YSZ) was applied using a screen printing process.The objective of this research is to understand the effects of various pore-forming agents on the microstructure of metal-supported solid-oxide fuel cells (MS-SOFCs) and their impact on electrochemical performance. Using a spherical pore former such as PMMA, it is possible to control the formation of uniform pores, even pore distribution, and high porosity in the MS-SOFCs. This uniform and porous microstructure results in lower polarization resistance, ultimately contributing to higher power density.
This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Korean government. (Ministry of Science and ICT(MSIT)) (No. RS-2023-00236572)