Anode‐Supported Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Based on Double‐sided Cathodes

Planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have been extensively studied during the past few decades, particularly the anode supported SOFC. In traditional electrode‐supported cells, the mismatch of coefficients of thermal expansion between materials in each layer may give rise to thermal stresses during operation, resulting in micro‐cracks of ultra‐thin electrolytes, which may ultimately lead to operational damages and performance degradation. This work proposes a new symmetric, planar SOFC design based on double‐sided cathodes to offset asymmetry of thermal stresses within the structure. This new design has been applied to prepare an anode‐supported SOFC that maintains integrity after two complete redox cycles. Its anti‐fracture load is 20 times stronger than that of traditional ultra‐thin cells, and its electrochemical performance is close to that of traditional large‐scale, ultra‐thin cells. These properties are promising for application under harsh operational environments. Nice structural design for SOFC! A new structure of solid oxide fuel cells is developed, which shows higher anti‐fracture strength and redox stability than traditional solid oxide fuel cells. SEM indicates that this new structural cell can easily obtain dense YSZ and GDC layer. The new structure is suitable for applications under certain extremely environments.