Low temperature preparation and characterization of LSGMC based IT-SOFC cell by aerosol deposition

A low temperature (≤650 °C) process for fabricating nano-structured (La, Sr) (Ga, Mg, Co)O_3−δ (LSGMC) electrolyte/(La, Sr) (Co, Fe)O_3−δ-(Gd, Ce)O_2−δ (LSCF-GDC) cathode films, ∼7 and ∼25 μm in thickness, respectively, was developed using an aerosol deposition (AD) process for use in intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). NiO-GDC was used as an anode substrate in anode-supported type cells. The deposited LSGMC electrolyte and LSCF-GDC composite cathode film maintained good adhesion with the NiO-GDC anode, even though the coating processes were completed at the room temperature. The LSGMC electrolyte was composed of nano-sized grains smaller than 30 nm. The electrical conductivity of the LSGMC electrolyte fabricated at room-temperature was ∼30 mS/cm at 650 °C. The LSCF-GDC composite cathode showed ≥20% porosity with a grain size ≤100 nm. The peak power density of the LSGMC electrolyte-based, anode-supported-type cell with the nano-structured LSCF-GDC cathode produced at room-temperature by AD was 0.39 W/cm² at 650 °C.