Cost-effective spray and spin coating of YSZ electrolyte slurries on aqueous-based anode tape casting for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolytes play a crucial role in ensuring high performance in anode-supported SOFCs by providing efficient oxygen-ion conductivity. Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a well-established material for oxygen-ion conduction; however, the fabrication of thin and dense electrolyte layers generally requires specialized manufacturing processes. Although advanced deposition techniques, such as physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD), can produce high-quality films, they are costly and difficult to scale up. In this study, a more cost-effective route for fabricating YSZ films is proposed, combining tape casting, spin coating, and calendering. YSZ films were deposited onto NiO/YSZ anodes fabricated by tape casting using aqueous slurries. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and impedance spectroscopy (IS) were employed to evaluate the film microstructure and ionic conductivity. The resulting films achieved a conductivity of 0.37 S cm–1 at 800 °C, approximately seven times higher than the typical YSZ conductivity of 0.05 S cm–1.