EFFECT OF SLURRY PROPERTIES ON ANODE CERMETS FOR SOLID OXIDE FUEL-CELLS

The influence of the initial slurry properties on the resulting Ni-YSZ (yttria-stabilized zirconia) cermet structure that constitutes the so lid oxide fuel cell anode has been examined. Rheological study of the slurry has been conducted as a function of powder concentration. The p owder consisted of Ni (80 wt.%) and YSZ (20 wt.%) particles, and the s lurry was prepared by mixing the powders in polyvinyl alcohol. (PVA) s olution. This suspension was shown to be pseudoplastic without a yield point and a model based on the Ostwald- de Waele power law has been d eveloped. Porous structures resulting from slurry coating, sintering a nd infiltration were examined utilizing microprobe, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray techniques. The resulting structure was sho wn to be inadequate when the slurry suspensions contained less than 12 or more than 13 vol.% of the powders.