THE EFFECT OF SINTERING ON THE MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF SOFC CERAMIC INTERCONNECT MATERIALS

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) interconnect materials, strontium and cal cium doped lanthanum chromite, were synthesized to investigate the eff ect of dopant content and sintering temperature on their sinterability . The results show that approximately 96% of the theoretical density c ould be achieved when LaCrO3, doped with 30 mol % Ca, was sintered in air at 1400-degrees-C. However, to get the same sintered density for t he strontia doped material, a 1 700-degrees-C sintering temperature ha d to be used. The effect of sintering temperature on the fracture stre ngth was also investigated. A maximum fracture strength of 234 MPa for La0.7Sr0.3CrO3-delta and 256 MPa for La0.7Ca0.3CrO3-delta were obtain ed for both samples sintered at 1 700-degrees-C.