Direct write manufacturing of solid oxide fuel cells for green energy

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices with higher efficiencies and compact footprint for green energy. With an increasing demand for alternative energy sources, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) directly convert chemical energy to electrical power without combustion products. Miniaturizing the fuel cell technology entails benefits such as lower operating temperatures and higher power densities for several applications. In this research, the direct-write process is employed to fabricate micro sized coplanar single chamber solid oxide fuel cells. Slurry compositions of the electrolyte, anode and cathode electrodes were optimized for depositing fuel cell components. The deposited electrolyte layer displayed coarse grain structure providing electronic insulation and conduction of the ions. Higher solid loadings upto 50% were demonstrated for both anode and cathode trace electrodes. The cathode electrode showed a porous microstructure without islands to permit electrochemical reactions for the oxidant. Post annealing analysis revealed that the consistent shapes of the extruded electrodes were retained. This study showed a good potential for fabricating a novel type of fuel cell design towards green energy.

Co-planar design ,

Direct-write manufacturing ,

Green energy device ,

Process parameters ,

Solid oxide fuel cell ,