GDC Electrolytes With Patchwork Type Morphology and Their Microtubular SOFC Applications

A patchwork type morphology was formed due to an accidental addition of excess polyvinyl butyral (PVB) polymer powder into the Gadolinia doped Ceria (GDC) slurries during the preparation of homogeneous slurries by a wet atomization process. GDC thin layer has been fabricated on the top of porous tubular anode (GDC-NiO) support at 1400 °C. The results of this study show that polymer can be used not only to fabricate a dense electrolyte but also to generate a nanoporous grain boundary. The fabricated electrolytes have been tested for SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) applications in the intermediate-temperature region. The single-cell with dense electrolytes performance test showed a high power density at 550 °C with wet H₂ fuel. The effect of different polymers, such as polyvinyl pyrrolidinone (PVP) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), into the electrolyte slurry was also tested. The polymer binder used in preparing GDC slurry is preferably neither PVP nor PTFE, and/or contains no amounts of these polymers.