Nanostructured engineering of nickel cermet anode for solid oxide fuel cell using inkjet printing

A single-step wet-chemical synthesis of NiO-SDC (Sm³⁺ doped ceria) colloidal ink for the inkjet printing (IJP) of nanostructured anodic layers with enhanced catalytic activity for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is developed and characterized. Dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscope, and Raman spectroscopy revealed stable nanoparticles with the main size of 11.85 nm within the ink solution. Rheology parameters were analyzed, and the anode was printed. Porous post-sintered Ni-cermet layer, with a thickness of 15−25 μm contained near-spherical nanoparticles of 40−80 nm, was obtained. X-ray diffraction confirmed the phase composition of the cermet layer. Electrical impedance spectroscopy demonstrated a significant reduction, by more than 80 %, in the area-specific resistance of the IJP half-cell in comparison with the Screen-printed half-cell. The microstructure engineering using IJP provides fabrication of the cermet NiO-SDC layer with a conjugated structure, which ultimately enhances the catalytic activity of the SOFC.