Designing the Interfacial Layer between the Electrolyte and Fuel Electrode for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Operating at Intermediate Temperatures with Fuel Flexibility

This study investigates the correlation between structural/chemical properties and electrochemical performance according to the composition of the interface between the anode and the electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based on mixed ion conducting material. The linear increase in the open-circuit voltage (OCV) and maximum power density (MPD) are observed as the content of the electrolyte material at the interface layer increases. The modified sample with highest performance exhibits ~ 7% higher OCV of 0.873 V and ~ 72% higher MPD of 1.38 W/cm² at 600°C with hydrogen and ~ 8% higher OCV of 0.800 V and ~ 210% higher MPD of 0.92 W/cm² at 600°C with methane and carbon dioxide. This result substantiates the anode structure for high performance and OCV SOFC operating with fuel flexibility.