DEVELOPMENT AND FABRICATION OF A YSZ ELECTROLYTE BY MAGNETRON SPUTTERING FOR INTERMEDIATE-TEMPERATURE SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS

This work presents the development of a technology for forming a thin-film electrolyte based on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) using reactive magnetron sputtering for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). The resulting coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), current–voltage (I–V) measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The fabricated YSZ films exhibited a dense structure, strong adhesion to the anode substrate, and a cubic phase with predominant (111) orientation. The crystallite size was found to be 10–12 nm. Experimental I–V curves showed an increase in peak power density from ~0.2 W/cm² at 600 ℃ to ~1.1 W/cm² at 800 ℃, while EIS results indicated a decrease in total resistance from 2.2 to 0.9 Ω·cm² over the same temperature range. These results confirm the high ionic conductivity, thermal stability, and gas-tightness of the thin-film YSZ electrolyte, highlighting its potential for use in next-generation energy-efficient IT-SOFCs.

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