Fabrication and characterization of anode-supported dense BaZr0.8Y0.2O3-δ electrolyte membranes by a dip-coating process

Dense BaZr0.8Y0.2O3-delta (BZY) thin membranes are successfully fabricated on porous NiO-BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.2O3-delta (NiO-BZCY) anode substrates by a dip-coating process after sintered at 1450 degrees C. The NiO-BZCY anode substrates are prepared by phase inversion method based on in-situ reaction, showing a special asymmetrical structure with a porous finger-like layer and a sponge-like layer. Single cells with Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-delta-Ce0.8Sm0.2O2-delta (SSC-SDC) as cathodes are assembled and tested. The open circuit voltages (OCVs) of a cell with a 25-mu m-thick BZY membrane are 0.95, 0.97, and 1.01 Vat 650, 600, and 550 degrees C, respectively, indicating that the BZY electrolyte membrane is sufficiently dense. Meanwhile, the corresponding maximum power densities of the cell are 70, 55, and 34 mW cm(-2). The results demonstrated that dip-coating process is an effective method for fabricating dense BZY electrolyte membranes. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.