Gas-tight yttria-doped barium zirconate thin film electrolyte via chemical solution deposition technique

A 500 nm thick yttria-doped barium zirconate (BZY) proton conducting electrolyte film, fabricated via a low-cost and high-throughput chemical solution deposition (CSD) technique, was sintered at a remarkably low temperature of 1000 °C, which is much lower than the typical solid state sintering temperature of minimum 1300 °C. Therefore, the detrimental issues, commonly encountered in solid state sintering, such as barium evaporation and phase separation, were not observed. Gas-tightness of the BZY film was confirmed by 8 h of stable open circuit voltage (OCV) at 1.08 V from a button fuel cell with NiO-BZY anode substrate and LSCF cathode. The application of the film is aimed at the electrolytes of intermediate to low temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).