Modification of electrolyte surface with “windows” and “dimples array” structure for SOFC based on YSZ electrolyte

A strategy based on tape-casting and laser micro-processing was proposed to enhance the electrochemical performance of solid oxide fuel cells by modifying the electrolytes with a “windows” structure and a “dimples array” structure. Scanning electron microscopy images of the “windows” structure indicated that the thickness of electrolyte in the thin areas was reduced from 220 µm to 75 µm, resulting in a significant decrease in ohmic resistance by a factor of 1.69 at 800 °C. In addition, three-dimensional profile images of the “dimples array” structure showed a remarkable increase in the electrode/electrolyte interface area that is directly related to the triple-phase boundaries. Furthermore, following the modifications in this work, the optimal cell in this study achieved an encouraging performance relative to that of the reference cell, with the peak power density increasing by a factor of 1.63 at 800 °C. These results implied that effective structural modification may be a promising approach for improving cell performance.