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Silver composites as highly stable cathode current collectors for solid oxide fuel cells

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Abstract

Time stability of the solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) has been a significant concern toward realization of their practical applications. Its operation at elevated temperatures and in oxidizing atmospheres makes the cathode current collector one of the most vulnerable components of the SOFCs. Silver and silver-based metal oxide [lanthanum–strontium manganite (LSM) and yttria-stabilized zirconia] composites were investigated for the development of low-cost current collectors with long-term stability. While densification of pure silver limited its use as current collector, incorporation of oxide particles to the silver matrix led to formation of porous composites. However, addition of YSZ particles did not result in a stable porosity. Analysis of the impedance spectra allowed further investigations on the obtained microstructures and the formed contacts. No microstructural degradation has been observed in the porous Ag–LSM composite current collector and its electrical properties remained stable for over 5000 h of measurements at 800 °C in air.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by a grant of the AFRL under Contract No. FA4819-09-C-0018. Utilization of SEM facilities at the Graduate Center for Materials Research (MRC) of Missouri S&T is greatly acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, 65409, USA

    Ayhan Sarikaya, Vladimir Petrovsky & Fatih Dogan

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  1. Ayhan Sarikaya
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  2. Vladimir Petrovsky
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  3. Fatih Dogan
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Correspondence to Fatih Dogan.

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Sarikaya, A., Petrovsky, V. & Dogan, F. Silver composites as highly stable cathode current collectors for solid oxide fuel cells. Journal of Materials Research 27, 2024–2029 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2012.175

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