Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Fabricated by Tape-Casting and Dip-Coating Methods

Abstract

Tubular anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) generate lower current densities than the planar SOFCs, but they have several advantages such as ease of sealing, high durability, and thermal-cycling stability. In this study, tubular anode supported SOFCs were fabricated by coupling the tape-casting and dip-coating methods. An anode support tape-cast was rolled into tubular shape over a mandrel. The seam joined to form a tube by solvent-assisted lamination at room temperature. The sample was pre-sintered at 900 °C, followed by dip-coating and co-sintering of the electrolyte at 1400 °C. The cathode layers were dip-coated onto the electrolyte and sintered at 1150 °C. The electrochemical performance of the prepared tubular SOFC was evaluated in N2/H2 gas at 650–800 °C. The cell exhibited a maximum power density of 281 mW cm-2 at 800 °C. The results confirmed that using simple low-cost methods including tape-casting, solvent-assisted lamination and dip-coating has the potential for the mass production of tubular SOFCs.