Magnetron deposition of yttria-stabilised zirconia electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

The aim of the article is to review the latest achievements in the field of magnetron deposition of thinfilm yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). The main attention is paid to the use of magnetron sputtering for formation of YSZ electrolyte up to 10 μm thick on the anode substrates of intermediate-temperature SOFCs operating at a temperature of (600 - 800)°C . The influence of the types of power sources and such deposition parameters as substrate temperature, substrate bias voltage, post-annealing treatment, etc., as well as the morphology of the anode substrate surface on the microstructure and properties of the deposited electrolyte is analyzed. It is shown that the magnetron sputtering method, despite its relatively high cost and complexity, is applicable to large area SOFC cells and is competitive compared to traditional methods of electrolyte formation, such as tape casting, tape calendering, electrophoretic deposition and screen printing.

Keywords

• sofc
• nanotubes
• thin-film electrolyte
• magnetron sputtering