A feasible strategy for tailoring stable spray‐coated electrolyte layer in micro‐tubular solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract By this work, the viability of the spray coating as a cost‐effective and reliable technique for the coating of Ce 0.9 Gd 0.1 O 1.95 (GDC) electrolyte layer on the mini‐tubular NiO–GDC anodes based a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) fabrication was assessed. The compatibility of the anode and electrolyte was analyzed by using XRD. The variation in thickness and morphology of the electrolyte film as a function of the coating cycles was discussed with optical and scanning electron microscopes. By similar formulation, the coating of La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Fe 0.8 Co 0.2 O 3 –Ce 0.9 Gd 0.1 O 2–δ (LSCF–GDC) was performed to achieve porous cathode. An individual micro‐tubular anode supported cell with configuration NiO–GDC/GDC/LSCF–GDC as anode/electrolyte/cathode was tested in the SOFC mode with humidified hydrogen as fuel and stationary air as oxidant. The fabricated mini‐SOFC prototype that generated a maximum power density of 0.510 W/cm 2 at 600°C signifies the potential of this industrially scalable low‐cost coating technique.