Fabrication of supported Ca-doped lanthanum niobate electrolyte layer and NiO containing anode functional layer by electrophoretic deposition

The technique of electrophoretic deposition (EPD) has been applied for the preparation of a dense calcium-doped lanthanum niobate electrolyte film. La0.995Ca0.005NbO4 (LCN) powder was suspended in a solution of acetylacetone, iodine and water. The effects of suspension composition and deposition conditions were analyzed in order to identify a suitable set of EPD process parameters. The powders were deposited on a composite substrate of LCN, NiO, binder and graphite. A dense 8 μm film of lanthanum niobate supported on a porous substrate was obtained after sintering at 1200 °C. The technique was found to be effective also for the deposition of a mixture of NiO and LCN powders which, after sintering, would form LCN/NiO anode functional layer. Electrochemical characterization of the supported LCN film was performed by applying a LCN/NiO counter electrode.