Protective coatings for Cr2O3-forming interconnects of solid oxide fuel cells

Cr₂O₃ evaporation from Cr₂O₃-forming metallic interconnects during operation of the solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) can poison other cell components and cause degradation. Protective NiFe₂O₄ spinel coatings on interconnect alloys were developed by electroplating and screen printing, respectively. Results indicate that NiFe₂O₄ coatings can significantly improve the oxidation resistance of the alloy while providing effective conducting path with inherent low resistance, and also are expected to serve as a diffusion barrier to effectively reduce the Cr₂O₃ evaporation. Two coating techniques were evaluated in terms of the performances of the coatings. A very interesting and smart coating structure was reported.