Silver (Ag) as anode and cathode current collectors in high temperature planar solid oxide fuel cells

Planar electrolyte supported solid oxide fuel cells were operated at 900 °C with humidified H2 for 200 h using silver mesh and paste for cathode current collection. Continuous potentiostatic tests at 0.7 V appeared to induce migration of Ag towards electrode-electrolyte interphase, while continuous OCV tests caused no mass transport. Similar SOFCs fueled by coal syngas at 850 °C using Ag for both anode and cathode current collection indicated little, if any, Ag migration; providing the possibility of employing Ag for 100 h laboratory scale tests using coal-derived syngas. Use of high temperature steam, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide did not result in the formation of silver carbonates.