Property control of cathodes and anodes produced by slip casting for planar solid oxide fuel cells

Slurry casting was used to prepare both cathode and anode green forms for the applications in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Nickel oxide and yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) powders were used as the starting materials for anodes, while strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM) and YSZ powders were used for cathodes. Polymeric binder, dispersant, plasticizer and solvent were used to facilitate the slip casting. Graphite was added to function as a pore former. The casting was performed after ball milling. The cast can be dried in a short time in a confined compartment at elevated temperatures. The green form was without any cracks. The final products were obtained after high temperature sintering. The time of the ball milling, sintering temperature and profile were the major variables which have been investigated in this project. All variables were found to affect the properties of both the green forms and final products. Final products with homogenous pore structures have been obtained.