In situ screen-printed BaZr_0.1Ce_0.7Y_0.2O_3-δ electrolyte-based protonic ceramic membrane fuel cells with layered SmBaCo₂O_5+x cathode

In order to develop a simple and cost-effective route to fabricate protonic ceramic membrane fuel cells (PCMFCs) with layered SmBaCo₂O_5+x (SBCO) cathode, a dense BaZr_0.1Ce_0.7Y_0.2O_3-δ (BZCY) electrolyte was fabricated on a porous anode by in situ screen printing. The porous NiO-BaZr_0.1Ce_0.7Y_0.2O_3-δ (NiO-BZCY) anode was directly prepared from metal oxide (NiO, BaCO₃, ZrO₂, CeO₂ and Y₂O₃) by a simple gel-casting process. An ink of metal oxide (BaCO₃, ZrO₂, CeO₂ and Y₂O₃) powders was then employed to deposit BaZr_0.1Ce_0.7Y_0.2O_3-δ (BZCY) thin layer by an in situ reaction-sintering screen printing process on NiO-BZCY anode. The bi-layer with 25 μm dense BZCY electrolyte was obtained by co-sintering at 1400 °C for 5 h. With layered SBCO cathode synthesized by gel-casting on the bi-layer, single cells were assembled and tested with H₂ as fuel and the static air as oxidant. A high open-circuit potential of 1.01 V, a maximum power density of 382 mW cm^-2, and a low polarization resistance of the electrodes of 0.15 Ω cm² was achieved at 700 °C.