High strength bilayer finger-like ceramic supported reversible solid oxide cells via phase inversion tape-casting technology

• Published in: Journal of power sources 2024-04, Vol.599, p.234232, Article 234232
• Main Authors: Zheng, Guozhu, Chen, Ting, Zhang, Guangjun, Wang, Jiancheng, Zhang, Xiaoyu, Liu, Kui, Zhuang, Zichen, Huang, Zuzhi, Shen, Xuesong, Wang, Shaorong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bilayer finger-like porous structure; High mechanical strength; Reversible solid oxide cells; Stability
• ISSN: 0378-7753
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2024.234232

Reversible solid oxide fuel cells (RSOCs) are advanced energy conversion and storage devices, allowing for the flexible interconversion of electricity and chemical energy in fuels like hydrogen or syngas. However, the pores structure of RSOCs prepared by conventional methods is not conducive to fuel gas diffusion, resulting in severe concentration polarization. In this work, a novel cell structure with 3 mol% Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 (3YSZ) | NiO-Sc2O3 stabilized ZrO2 (SSZ) bilayer finger-like porous structure with favorable strength is successfully prepared by the phase-inversion tape casting method. The peak power density of the cell is reached 0.97 W cm−2 at 800 °C in the fuel cell (FC) mode and no notable degradation is observed after undergoing 30 thermal cycles at 0.75 V. Furthermore, the cell demonstrates a current density of 1.00 A cm−2 when operated in electrolysis cell (EC) mode with 90% H2O at 800 °C and 1.3 V, and no obvious degradation is observed on the cell alternating between FC mode and EC mode alternately for 80 h. These results show the improvement of mechanical strength and mass transfer, and strengthen the application ability of 3YSZ | NiO-SSZ bilayer finger-like porous structure in RSOCs. •The cell with 3YSZ .| NiO-SSZ finger-like porous structure is successfully prepared.•Bilayer structure exhibits excellent mechanical strength and gas diffusion capacity.•The cell shows good thermal stability in FC mode.•No obvious degradation was observed in both FC and EC mode on the cell.