Synthesis, characterization and mechanical properties of NiO - GDC20 (Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9) nano composite anode for solid oxide fuel cells

In the present research work, X (NiO) +1-X(Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9) where X = 30,40 and 45 wt% Nano Composite Anodes are synthesized for low temperature operating solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). NiO and Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 (GDC20) are synthesized by sol-gel citrate method and the nanopowders of NiO, GDC20 were calcined from 650 °c to 750 °c. For anode materials, pelletized the nanocomposites of X(NiO)+ (1-X) GDC20 (X = 30,40,45 wt.%) and sintered at 1200 °c. systematic study of atomic structure, purity, phase and structural parameters such as Lattice parameters, crystallite size of as-synthesized nanopowders and anode materials were carried out by XRD and SEM. For mechanical strength, Vickers micro-hardness of anode composites were estimated and observed that micro-hardness of composites were increasing with NiO wt.% and the density of sintered samples, which is varying from 4.35 to 5.54 Gpa at 500g load.