In general in this project we have studied different methods of Fabricating planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and utilizing microwave sintering technique on the cathode based Lanthanum for optimization and decreasing operating temperature from high temperatures (800-1000 °C) to intermediate temperatures (600-800 °C). The method used for preparation of electrolyte and cathode layers are Spin coating, Dip coating, Spray coating and Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD). In this investigation, La based perovskite oxide cathode, La0.6Ca0.4Fe0.8Ni0.2O3 was used due to its good electron and ion conductivity, chemical stability and satisfactory catalytic activity. Sol-gel method was used to synthesize La0.6Ca0.4Fe0.8Ni0.2O3. The 8% yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) was used as an electrolyte, because of the high ionic and low electrical conductivity. The anode substrate was prepared by mixing NiO powders (Merck 99.5%) with 8%YSZ powders (Tosoh 99.9%) in a weight ratio of 50:50.10 wt.% starch was added as a pore former and ball-milled for 20h in ethanol media. Using anode as substrate lead to reduction in total electrical resistance, at high temperatures. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) used to study the topography of sample particles. The cross section SEM images of the fabricated cell with spin and dip coating methods indicate that mentioned layers are uniform and dense. The analyzed X-ray diffraction (XRD) results demonstrate the desired structural phases of materials as cathode, electrolyte and anode. There were not any noticeable impurity phase. To testing cells, we have made a single fuel cell test setup that made of alumina, capable of working in the high temperature furnace, reactive gas transmission and current collectors. The cell characteristics such as output voltage of the cell, (I-V) diagram, power density and impedance spectroscopy were measured. These characteristics were studied at operating temperatures and testing conditions. Fabrication of the planar anode-based solid oxide fuel cells have been performed with LCFN material as cathode for the first time in our lab using both coating methods (Spin and Dip coating). The prepared cell has an anode base substrate, electrolyte and cathode layer have been deposited on it, with 22 and 61?m thicknesses respectively. Output voltage and power density of fabricated cell have been obtained at 800°C, 0.8 V and 475 (mW/cm2) respectively.
