Aqueous electrophoretic deposition of YSZ electrolyte layers for solid oxide fuel cells

A 6-μm-thick, dense, and uniform yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin-film electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cell was able to be formed, via aqueous electrophoretic deposition, onto a porous Ni-YSZ cermet anode, which was made via attrition mill, pressure casting, and pressureless sintering. Nonconductive yet suitably porous substrates could be used for electrophoretic deposition, with the help of an auxiliary electrode. Ni/YSZ cermet presintered at 1,200 °C and reduced at 700 °C, on the other hand, behaved like a metal electrode and required no more the use of such an auxiliary electrode. It was also found that the deposition rate increased with increasing current density and with decreasing NH₄-polyacrylate concentration.