Ceramic materials containing rare earth oxides for solid oxide fuel cell

Materials for a solid oxide fuel cell were investigated aiming especially at low temperature operation of the cell. Although yttria-stabilized zirconia has been most popularly investigated as an electrolyte for the cell, the conductivity reaches the allowable level only around or higher than 1000 °C. The use of a ceria-based electrolyte, especially samaria doped ceria, significantly lowered the operation temperature of the cell due to its high oxide ion conductivity. The reduction of ceria with H₂ and resultant electronic conduction could be avoided by the coating of YSZ on to the anode side of the ceria. The ceria layer facing the air electrode is effective in reducing cathodic polarization. Ni-ceria cermet exhibited higher fuel electrode performance than Ni-YSZ cermet in lowering polarization.