High performance low temperature solid oxide fuel cells with novel electrode architecture

In this study, we have fabricated high performance low temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs) with both acicular anodes and cathodes with thin Gd-doped ceria (GDC) electrolyte film. The acicular Ni-Gd0.1Ce0.9O2-delta (Ni-GDC) anode was prepared using freeze drying tape casting, while the hierarchically porous cathode with nano-size Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (SSC) particles covering an acicular GDC skeleton was prepared by a combination of freeze drying tape casting and self-rising approaches. The acicular electrodes with 5-200 mm pores/channels enhance mass transport, while SSC particles of about 50 nm in the cathode promote electrochemical reactions. Cells which have this novel electrode architecture show a significantly high power output of 1.44 W cm(-2) and an extremely low cell polarization resistance of 0.0379 Omega cm(2) at 600 degrees C.