Facile one-step forming of NiO and yttrium-stabilized zirconia composite anodes with straight open pores for planar solid oxide fuel cell using phase-inversion tape casting method

Abstract The anode of NiO and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) with straight open pores is prepared by phase-inversion tape casting method. In the as-prepared green tape, its top and middle layers are derived from a slurry of NiO and YSZ, while the bottom layer from a slurry of graphite. The graphite layer is eliminated by calcination at elevated temperatures, leaving the finger-like porous layer exposed to the gas phase. A cell supported on the as-prepared anode substrate exhibits satisfactory electrochemical performances with a maximum power density of 780 mW cm −2  at 800 °C. The cell dose not show a convex-up curvature in I–V plots at high current density as often observed for most anode-supported cells, indicating the absence of concentration polarization which is in turn attributed to the open pore structure of the phase-inversion derived anode. The phase inversion tape casting technique explored in the present study involves almost the same equipments as and similar procedures to the conventional tape casting, and after further optimization it may become a simple and effective technique for mass production of anodes for SOFCs.