Impact of CeCo-Coated Metallic Interconnectors on SOCs Towards Performance, Cr-Oxide-Scale, and Cr-Evaporation

Abstract

The performance of a solid oxide cell (SOC) depends on the operating environment. Regarding single cell tests with ideal contacting (gold, platinum, nickel meshes) and inert flow fields (Al2O3), performance is limited by intrinsic losses in the cell. Contact losses and poisoning effects are minimized. In a SOC-stack with metallic interconnectors, performance is affected by contact resistances, chromium (Cr) evaporation, and limitations in gas supply. Here, 1 cm2 single cells were tested with a stack-like contact applying metallic flow fields made from three different steel grades (Crofer 22 APU, AISI 441, UNS S44330) with and without a cerium-cobalt PVD-coating. Cell performance and losses were analyzed by IV-characteristics, impedance spectroscopy, and DRT analysis. For all uncoated interconnectors, significant performance losses due to increased contact losses and air electrode polarization were observed, which is attributed to Cr-oxide scale formation on the metallic interconnectors and Cr-poisoning of the air electrode as revealed by scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A CeCo-coating leads to similar oxide scales irrespective of the substrate material. Moreover, with the coating the electrochemical performance drastically improved due to decreased contact losses and an effective blocking of Cr-evaporation leading to a cell performance close to the ideal case for all three steel grades.