Rapid surface kinetics enhancement via flash light sintering for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

"Samaria-doped ceria (SDC), with exceptional electrochemical catalyzing characteristics, is a promising material for the operating temperature of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). Despite its extraordinary elec- trochemical reactivity, its chemical unstable behavior in terms of reduction phenomenon has made its application to SOFC electrolyte challenging. In regard to the defect chemistry, however, this instability can enhance the oxygen incorporation rate at the surface of the electrolyte. Here, we report a rapid surface treating method for SDC thin films via flash light sintering, which revealed an outstanding crystallinity development with nano-grains and increment of mobile dopant cation-induced oxygen vacancies within few milliseconds. We demonstrated that the flash light sintering-induced rapid development of crystallinity and reduction of ceria increases oxygen reducing surface kinetics, leading to an improvement in the oxygen incorporation rate of the cathodic reaction in SOFCs. The performance of SOFC sintered by flash light indicated more than two-folds enhancement comparing the pristine cell."