Fabrication of solid oxide fuel cells with a thin (La_0.9Sr _0.1)_0.98(Ga_0.8Mg_0.2)O _3-δ electrolyte on a Sr_0.8La_0.2TiO ₃ support

This paper describes Sr_0.8La_0.2TiO₃ (SLT)-supported solid oxide fuel cells with a thin (La_0.9Sr _0.1)_0.98Ga_0.8Mg_0.2O _3-δ (LSGM) electrolyte and porous LSGM anode functional layer (AFL). Optimized processing for the SLT support bisque firing, LSGM electrolyte layer co-firing, and LSGM AFL colloidal composition is presented. Cells without a functional layer yielded a power density of 228 mW cm^-2 at 650°C, while cells with a porous LSGM functional layer yielded a power density of 434 mW cm^-2 at 650°C. Cells with an AFL yielded a higher open circuit voltage, possibly due to reduced Ti diffusion into the electrolyte. Infiltration produced Ni nanoparticles within the support and AFL, which proved crucial for the electrochemical activity of the anode. Power densities increased with increasing Ni loadings, reaching 514 mW cm^-2 at 650°C for 5.1 vol.% Ni loading. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis indicated that the cell resistance was dominated by the cathode and electrolyte resistance with the anode resistance being relatively small.