The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Fabrication and structural characterization of self-supporting electrolyte membranes for a micro solid-oxide fuel cell

Fabrication and structural characterization of self-supporting electrolyte membranes for a micro solid-oxide fuel cell
Fabrication and structural characterization of self-supporting electrolyte membranes for a micro solid-oxide fuel cell
Micromachined fuel cells are among a class of microscale devices being explored for portable power generation. In this paper, we report processing and geometric design criteria for the fabrication of free-standing electrolyte membranes for microscale solid-oxide fuel cells. Submicron, dense, nanocrystalline yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) films were deposited onto silicon nitride membranes using electron-beam evaporation and sputter deposition. Selective silicon nitride removal leads to free-standing, square, electrolyte membranes with side dimensions as large as 1025 µm for YSZ and 525 µm for GDC, with high processing yields for YSZ. Residual stresses are tensile (+85 to +235 MPa) and compressive (–865 to -155 MPa) in as-deposited evaporated and sputtered films, respectively. Tensile evaporated films fail via brittle fracture during annealing at temperatures below 773 K; thermal limitations are dependent on the film thickness to membrane size aspect ratio. Sputtered films with compressive residual stresses show superior mechanical and thermal stability than evaporated films. Sputtered 1025-µm membranes survive annealing at 773 K, which leads to the generation of tensile stresses and brittle fracture at elevated temperatures (923 K).
2604-2615
Baertsch, Chelsey D.
1ff5ae1f-08e5-4187-859a-857453fc17d1
Jensen, Klavs F.
4611cc2d-12b9-4b4c-bd15-a24fd7e3c0f8
Hertz, Joshua L.
de13ae91-55f4-4e9e-b35e-2742fcdc144b
Tuller, Harry L.
77e61185-502b-466d-9626-a8d20d6c969c
Srikar T., Vengallatore
3cb722f0-278c-4a5b-b81e-3c62acc5a641
Spearing, S. Mark
9e56a7b3-e0e8-47b1-a6b4-db676ed3c17a
Schmidt, Martin A.
994a58dc-71f0-45d9-96d1-f0d9cd421c56
Baertsch, Chelsey D.
1ff5ae1f-08e5-4187-859a-857453fc17d1
Jensen, Klavs F.
4611cc2d-12b9-4b4c-bd15-a24fd7e3c0f8
Hertz, Joshua L.
de13ae91-55f4-4e9e-b35e-2742fcdc144b
Tuller, Harry L.
77e61185-502b-466d-9626-a8d20d6c969c
Srikar T., Vengallatore
3cb722f0-278c-4a5b-b81e-3c62acc5a641
Spearing, S. Mark
9e56a7b3-e0e8-47b1-a6b4-db676ed3c17a
Schmidt, Martin A.
994a58dc-71f0-45d9-96d1-f0d9cd421c56

Baertsch, Chelsey D., Jensen, Klavs F., Hertz, Joshua L., Tuller, Harry L., Srikar T., Vengallatore, Spearing, S. Mark and Schmidt, Martin A. (2004) Fabrication and structural characterization of self-supporting electrolyte membranes for a micro solid-oxide fuel cell. Journal of Materials Research, 19 (9), 2604-2615. (doi:10.1557/JMR.2004.0350).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Micromachined fuel cells are among a class of microscale devices being explored for portable power generation. In this paper, we report processing and geometric design criteria for the fabrication of free-standing electrolyte membranes for microscale solid-oxide fuel cells. Submicron, dense, nanocrystalline yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) films were deposited onto silicon nitride membranes using electron-beam evaporation and sputter deposition. Selective silicon nitride removal leads to free-standing, square, electrolyte membranes with side dimensions as large as 1025 µm for YSZ and 525 µm for GDC, with high processing yields for YSZ. Residual stresses are tensile (+85 to +235 MPa) and compressive (–865 to -155 MPa) in as-deposited evaporated and sputtered films, respectively. Tensile evaporated films fail via brittle fracture during annealing at temperatures below 773 K; thermal limitations are dependent on the film thickness to membrane size aspect ratio. Sputtered films with compressive residual stresses show superior mechanical and thermal stability than evaporated films. Sputtered 1025-µm membranes survive annealing at 773 K, which leads to the generation of tensile stresses and brittle fracture at elevated temperatures (923 K).

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 2004

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 23001
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/23001
PURE UUID: 529e2d81-9b37-4f39-831e-915dd66c6a99
ORCID for S. Mark Spearing: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3059-2014

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 13 Mar 2006
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:37

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Chelsey D. Baertsch
Author: Klavs F. Jensen
Author: Joshua L. Hertz
Author: Harry L. Tuller
Author: Vengallatore Srikar T.
Author: Martin A. Schmidt

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×