Experimental optimization of the fabrication parameters for anode-supported micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cells.

A systematic optimization of several parameters significant in the fabrication of anode-supported micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cell via extrusion and dip coating is presented in this study. Co-sintering temperature of anode-support and electrolyte, the vehicle type and solid powder content used in electrolyte dip-coating slurry, electrolyte submersion time, cathode sintering temperature, powder ratio in the cathode functional layer, submersion time for the cathode functional layer and, submersion time and coating number of the anode functional layer are studied in this respect and optimized in the given order according to the performance tests and microstructural analyses. The performance of the micro-tubular cell is significantly improved to 0.49 Wcm−2 at 800 °C after the optimizations, while that of the base cell is only 0.136 Wcm−2. 12-cell micro-tubular stack is also constructed with the optimized cells and the stack is tested. Each cell in the stack is found to show very close performance to the single-cell performance and the stack with a maximum power of ~26 W at an operating temperature of 800 °C is therefore evaluated to be successful. • Micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cells are fabricated via extrusion and dip coating. • A systematic optimization of several fabrication parameters is presented. • Cell performance at 800 °C is improved to 0.49 Wcm−2 from 0.136 Wcm−2. • 12-cell micro-tubular SOFC stack is also constructed with the optimized cells. • Each cell in the stack shows very close performance to the single-cell performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]