Optimization and tape casting performance of porous NiO-YSZ formulations.
ALONSO A. 1,2, SERRA J. 1, MORENO R. 2, NAVARRETE L. 1, SALES M. 1, SINTES P. 1, CALABUIG R. 1
1 Institute of Chemical Technology (UPV-CSIC), Valencia, Spain; 2 Institute of Ceramic and Glass (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are electrochemical devices that have been extensively studied over the last decades due to their interesting applications for safe and clean energy production. One of its most used configurations is the planar one, being the tape casting process widely used to manufacture the different elements of these cells. The anode-supported design is currently under focus, with NiO-Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) composite as preferred material.
The objective of this work is to obtain different sintered tapes of NiO-YSZ cermet with controlled thickness, pore size distribution and volume using biopolymers with different size as pore formers. Well-dispersed organic based suspensions of NiO-YSZ with concentrations between 5 and 10 %wt. of pore formers over the solid content were obtained by the optimization of the rheological behavior before and after the addition of binders and plasticizers. Green tapes were obtain using a dual doctor blade system with moving deposit and controlling casting parameters such as casting speed or blades gap. The scaled-up of tape casting process for an industrial machine and large sized components was also evaluated. The tapes obtained were sintered under air atmosphere at temperatures above 1250 ºC and the different microstructures obtained depending on the pore former used, as well as the electrical properties of the sintered compacts were analyzed and compared.
Acknowledgement:
This work has been supported by funds from the UE-NextGenerationEU (TRE2103007) and from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2021-124521OB-100, MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE).
