Thin Ni-YSZ films fabricated by magnetron co-sputtering used as anodes for solid oxide fuel cells

Ni-YSZ (YSZ - yttria-stabilized zirconia) films were fabricated by the reactive magnetron co-sputtering of Ni and Zr-Y targets. The maximum deposition rate was 6 μm·h^-1. The oxygen flow and the DC power supplied to the Ni target were tuned to study the effect of the deposition conditions on the film properties and to obtain the film with required parameters. The chemical composition and the surface morphology films were studied. The columnar morphology was observed in the as-deposited films. Electrolyte supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) with sputtered anode and brush painted La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSM) cathode were made to study the thin Ni-YSZ anode characteristics. Voltage-current curves of the electrolyte supported SOFCs with the brush painted and the magnetron sputtered Ni-YSZ anode were compared. The maximum power density of the SOFC with the magnetron sputtered anode at 800°C was 210 mW/cm².