Solid oxide fuel micro-cells (micro-SOFCs) are a system consisting of three main components: an anode (fuel electrode), a solid oxide electrolyte, and a cathode (air electrode), where electrochemical reactions take place. However, unlike conventional SOFCs, the electrodes in micro-SOFCs are formed on a silicon substrate.Micro-SOFCs are typically developed using microfabrication or microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) manufacturing technologies. The process involves surface micromachining techniques, including lithography, dry and wet etching, and thin-film deposition technologies. A micro-SOFC consists of a fuel cell membrane, usually formed on a silicon wafer. The thickness of the multilayer anode-electrolyte-cathode membrane is approximately one micrometer, necessitating thin-film fabrication methods that allow the formation of layers with the required properties down to a few hundred nanometers. Therefore, the design, geometric solutions in the micro-SOFC manufacturing process, and material properties at the nanometric scale are of critical importance.
Project results:
During the practice, the thin films of samaria doped ceria electrolyte were evaporated by electron beam evaporation technique on different substrates. The morphological, structural properties of thin films were evaluated using XRD and AFM analytical techniques.
Period of project implementation: 2019-07-01 - 2019-08-31
