Key Points of Tape Casting for Zirconia Ceramic Electrolyte of SOFC

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The core performance of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) hinges on the zirconia ceramic (YSZ) electrolyte layer, which is required to meet the essential criteria of high compactness, uniform thickness ranging from 10 to 50μm, and stable ionic conductivity. Tape Casting serves as the pivotal process for the large-scale preparation of such electrolyte layers.

Powder and Slurry

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High-purity YSZ powder with a purity of ≥99.5% is selected and subjected to drying, dispersion and defoaming treatments. The viscosity of the slurry is precisely controlled within the range of 7500~15000cPs to ensure that its fluidity and formability are well adapted to the Tape Casting Process.

Core Objective of Tape Casting

he primary goal of tape casting is to fabricate green bodies with uniform thickness and defect-free surfaces, which lays a solid foundation for the subsequent sintering process at 1400-1500℃ to form a dense electrolyte layer. This process directly determines the overall power generation efficiency of SOFC.

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DRON-SE Tape casting

Key Influencing Factors of the Process

Slurry stability, precise control of tape casting parameters, environmental temperature and humidity (maintained at 23±2℃ and 40%-60% relative humidity) as well as the cleanliness of the production environment all need to be accurately regulated. These measures are essential to avoid the occurrence of defects such as cracking and pinholes on the green bodies.

04 Key Points of Tape Casting for Zirconia Ceramic Electrolyte of SOFC.pngThe precise implementation of the tape casting process is fundamentally dependent on the precision performance of the tape casting machine. The precision requirements of the machine directly determine the preparation quality and mass production consistency of the electrolyte layer. Key aspects that require focused attention are as follows:

1.Doctor Blade Precision

The doctor blade must support micron-level gap fine-tuning to adapt to the thickness requirements of the 10-50μm electrolyte layer. This ensures uniform coating and eliminates the problem of uneven ionic conductivity caused by thickness deviation.

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2.Speed and Feeding Precision

The running speed of the base tape (0.1-0.5m/min) must be stable and controllable, and the feeding volume should be accurately matched with the running speed and the doctor blade gap. This prevents coating defects such as material breakage and accumulation during the process.

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3.Temperature Control and Monitoring Precision

The drying system should be capable of achieving precise temperature control in multiple temperature zones and be equipped with a real-time monitoring module. This module can feed back the state of the green body in real time, ensuring the uniform volatilization of the solvent and reducing the risk of cracking and warping of the green body.

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The precision stability of the tape casting machine is the core prerequisite for the large-scale mass production of SOFC zirconia electrolyte layers and the guarantee of product consistency. Its performance is directly related to the compactness and conductive efficiency of the electrolyte layer, and thus further affects the long-term stable operation of SOFC equipment.

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Company Name: Zhejiang Dron Technology Co., Ltd.
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Country: China
Website: https://www.dron-tech.com/