Solid oxide fuel cells with samaria-doped ceria electrolytes prepared via spray pyrolysis

Fuel cells with thin samaria-doped ceria (SDC) electrolyte films deposited onto an anode support using spray pyrolysis were fabricated. The SDC films were deposited onto porous NiO-YSZ substrates at deposition temperatures between 400°C and 450°C. The influence of process parameters such as deposition temperature, flow rate, type of salt and salt concentration on the quality of the film was studied. A smooth dense film was successfully deposited using the precursor cerium ammonium nitrate and samarium nitrate dissolved in butyl carbitol (33.3 vol.%), 2-methoxy-l-propanol (33.3 vol.%), and ethanol (33.3 vol.%) solvent mixture. A deposition rate of 125 nm/h was achieved.