Development of high-performance anode/electrolyte/cathode micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cell via phase inversion-based co-extrusion/co-sintering technique

A complete set of triple-layer (anode/electrolyte/cathode) hollow fiber for high temperature micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cell (MT-SOFC) consisting of nickel oxide (NiO) - yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)/YSZ/lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM) - YSZ has been successfully fabricated in this study. A simplified fabrication technique of phase inversion-based co-extrusion/co-sintering has yielded a perfectly bounded sandwich structure with free-delamination and defect layers. The effect of co-sintering temperatures (1300 degrees C-1450 degrees C) on the morphologies, elemental distributions, electrolyte gas-tightness, mechanical strength, electrochemical performance and the impedance spectra test are well-inspected. The increase of co-sintering temperature has significant effects on the anode finger-like micro-channels shrinkage where the voids become very sharp-thin structure; and developing a thin gas-tight electrolyte layer. Whereas, rapid co-sintering rate (10 degrees C min(-1)) and large particle size of 3-5 mu m (micron) of YSZ has hindered the formation of fully dense cathode layer resulting from higher co-sintering temperature. Correspondingly, with only 0.1116 Omega cm(2) value of area-specific resistance (ASR), a maximum power density has increased from 0.34 W cm(-2) to 0.75 W cm(-2) with 1.05 V OCV at 700 degrees C when the co-sintering temperature ranging from 1400 degrees C to 1450 degrees C; which comparable with single-layer counterpart.