Thin-film heterostructure solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

A micro thin-film solid oxide fuel cell (TFSOFC) has been designed based on thin-film deposition and microlithographic processes. The TFSOFC is composed of a thin-film electrolyte grown on a nickel foil substrate and a thin-film cathode deposited on the electrolyte. The Ni foil substrate is then processed into a porous anode by photolithographic patterning and etching to develop pores for gas transport into the fuel cell. A La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (LSCO) thin-film cathode is then deposited on the electrolyte, and a porous NiO–YSZ cermet layer is added to the anode to improve the electrode performance. The TFSOFC has stably operated in a temperature ranges as low as 480–570 °C, significantly lower than bulk SOFC’s, and has yielded a maximum output power density of ∼110 mW/cm2 in that temperature range.