Design, fabrication and characterization of a double layer solid oxide fuel cell (DLFC)

A double layer solid oxide fuel cell (DLSOFC) without using the electrolyte (layer) has been designed by integrating advantages of positive electrode material of lithium ion battery(LiNi_0.8Co_0.15Al_0.05O₂) and oxygen-permeable membranes material (trace amount cobalt incorporated terbium doped ceria, TDC + Co) based on the semiconductor physics principle. Instead of using an electrolyte layer, the depletion layer between the anode and cathode served as an electronic insulator to block the electrons but to maintain the electrolyte function for ionic transport. Thus the device with two layers can realize the function of SOFC and at the same time avoids the electronic short circuiting problem. Such novel DLFC showed good performance at low temperatures, for instance, a maximum power density of 230 mWcm⁻² was achieved at 500 °C. The working principle of the new device is presented.