Reactive sputtered Ni-SDC cermet alloy anode for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell

The facile deposition process for multi-component films is crucial in the development of thin film low -temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs). Here, we report on the development and optimization of reactive sputtered Ni-SDC(Ni-Sm:CeO2) films for LT-SOFC anodes. The effects of oxygen partial pressure (PO2/PAr of 0 %-50 % at the sputter pressure of 30 mTorr) and deposition temperature on the physical, chemical and electrochemical properties of Ni-SDC films are studied. While the Ni-SDC anodes deposited at high PO2/PAr (> 20 %) exhibited higher initial performance, they suffered from crack formation and massive Ni agglomeration upon operation due to NiO-to-Ni reduction and severe volume change. We further show that increasing the deposition temperature to 500 degrees C was effective in suppressing such Ni agglomeration and preserving the performance during operation.(c) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study reports on the development and optimization of Ni-SDC films for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell anodes. The effects of oxygen partial pressure and deposition temperature on the properties of Ni-SDC films were investigated, and increasing the deposition temperature was found to effectively suppress Ni agglomeration.