ELECTROLYTES FOR INTERMEDIATE TEMPERATURE SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS

Solid electrolytes for construction of the intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells, IT-SOFC, have been reviewed. Yttrium stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals, YTZP, as a potential electrolyte of IT-SOFC have been highlighted. The experimental results involving structural, microstructural, electrical properties based on our own studies were presented. In order to study aluminum diffusion in YTZP, aluminum oxide was deposited on the surface of 3 mol.% yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (3Y-TZP). The samples were annealed at temperatures from 1523 to 1773 K. Diffusion profiles of Al in the form of mean concentration vs. depth in B-type kinetic region were investigated by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). Both the lattice (D-B) and grain boundary (D-GB) diffusion were determined.