Resistance measurement in solid oxide fuel cells

A novel cell configuration has been proposed to measure resistance distribution in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). In this configuration, special voltage probes which were not spot-welded to the current collector were used in addition to the conventional voltage probes which were spot-welded to the current collector. The electrochemical responses measured by the conventional and the special voltage probes across the cell behaved very differently compared to that measured between voltage probes on the same electrode sides. The results show that the resistance associated with the electrode/current collector contact on the anode and the cathode sides could be separated quantitatively from the resistance associated with electrode/electrolyte interface contact and electrolyte materials. The reliability of the contact resistance measured by the special voltage probes is discussed. (C) 2001 The Electrochemical Society.