Microstructure and Performance of Anode Supported Cell by Pore Size of Anode

• Published in: ECS transactions Vol. 16; no. 50; pp. 37 - 43
• Main Authors: Choi, Jin H., Lee, Taehee, Park, Tae-Sung, Yoo, Keun-Bae, Yoo, Young-Sung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 29.08.2009
• ISSN: 1938-5862; 1938-6737
• DOI: 10.1149/1.3157934

The anode substrate is prepared with nickel oxide, YSZ (yttria-stabilized zirconia) and graphite. Five anode substrates and single cells are respectively prepared using graphite powders with an average particle size of 44m, 75m and 150m at a graphite volume ratio of 24%, and with a graphite volume ratio of 18%, 24% and 30% at an average particle size of 75m. The microstructures of anode substrates are observed by optical micrograph and scanning electron micrograph. The electrical conductivity of anode substrate is measured in hydrogen using AC impedance spectroscopy and the performance of single cell is also analyzed by AC impedance spectroscopy and current-voltage test. The anode substrate (NY 1) with the smallest pore size shows the highest conductivity and the single cell prepared with this substrate shows the better performance. It is likely that there are good percolations of nickel and large populations of three phase boundary (TPB) in NY 1 due to its small pore size. In order to increase TPB sites, the catalytic active layer composed of the fine-grained nickel and YSZ is inserted between anode substrate and electrolyte and the performance of this multi-layered single cell increases by 20%.