Development of robust metal-supported SOFCs and stack components in EU METSAPP consortium

The potential of MS-SOFCs was demonstrated through the previous EU METSOFC project, which concluded that the development of oxidation resistant novel metal-supported solid oxide fule cell (MS-SOFC) design and stack is the requirement to advance this technology to the next level. The following EU METSAPP project has been executed with an overall aim of developing advanced metal-supported cells and stacks based on a robust, reliable and up-scalable technology. During the project, oxidation resistant nanostructured anodes based on modified SrTiO3 were developed and integrated into MS-SOFCs to enhance their robustness. In addition, the manufacturing of metal-supported cells with different geometries, scalability of the manufacturing process was demonstrated and more than 200 cells with an area of ∼150 cm2 were produced. The electrochemical performance of different cell generations was evaluated and best performance and stability combination was observed with doped SrTiO3 based anode designs. Furthermore, numerical models to understand the corrosion behavior of the MS-SOFCs were developed and validated. Finally, the cost effective concept of coated metal interconnects was developed, which resulted in 90% reduction in Cr evaporation, three times lower Cr2O3 scale thickness and increased lifetime. The possibility of assembling these cells into two radically different stack designs was demonstrated

Thickness-dependent effects in the work function of polycrystalline Cu-Films

Vancea J, Reiss G, Butz D, Hoffmann H. Thickness-dependent effects in the work function of polycrystalline Cu-Films. Europhysics letters. 1989;9(4):379-384.Ideal metallic films are expected to show a thickness-dependent work function at a level of 0.1 eV in a short thickness range (5 nm). We investigated the variation of the work function with film thickness during the evaporation of polycrystalline Cu films on glass and Ni substrates, using the vibrating capacitor (Kelvin-)method. An increase of the work function with increasing film thickness at 0.1 eV level has been observed at the vacuum-metal interface according to the theoretical expectations. The effect, however, ranges over large thicknesses ((10 ÷ 15) nm), i.e. comparable with electronic scattering lengths in metal films. This behaviour can be attributed to the violation of local charge neutrality in films with unlike surfaces

Development of Robust Metal-Supported SOFCs and Stack Components in EU METSAPP Consortium

The potential of MS-SOFCs was demonstrated through the previous EU METSOFC project, which concluded that the development of oxidation resistant novel metal-supported solid oxide fule cell (MS-SOFC) design and stack is the requirement to advance this technology to the next level. The following EU METSAPP project has been executed with an overall aim of developing advanced metal-supported cells and stacks based on a robust, reliable and up-scalable technology. During the project, oxidation resistant nanostructured anodes based on modified SrTiO3 were developed and integrated into MS-SOFCs to enhance their robustness. In addition, the manufacturing of metal-supported cells with different geometries, scalability of the manufacturing process was demonstrated and more than 200 cells with an area of approximate to 150 cm(2) were produced. The electrochemical performance of different cell generations was evaluated and best performance and stability combination was observed with doped SrTiO3 based anode designs. Furthermore, numerical models to understand the corrosion behavior of the MS-SOFCs were developed and validated. Finally, the cost effective concept of coated metal interconnects was developed, which resulted in 90% reduction in Cr evaporation, three times lower Cr2O3 scale thickness and increased lifetime. The possibility of assembling these cells into two radically different stack designs was demonstrated.</p