3D Printed Porous Zirconia Supports for High-Performance SOFCs
A new study by Jinjin Zhang and Naitao Yang from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Shandong University of Technology has demonstrated the fabrication of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) using ceramic 3D printing of porous 3 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (3YSZ) microtubes.
The research, published in Ceramics International, emphasizes performance optimization by tailoring microstructure, pore-former content, sintering processes, and atmospheric conditions.
Read the full paper:
ScienceDirect – Ceramics International
Why Porous 3YSZ?
Porous 3YSZ ceramics are known for their high thermal stability, low density, and corrosion resistance, making them ideal as inert supports in SOFCs. Traditional methods like extrusion or gel casting are limited by shape complexity, but ceramic SLA 3D printing allows precision fabrication of intricate microstructures.
Key Experimental Highlights
- Investigated the effect of PMMA pore-former particle size (1.8μm to 15μm)
- Analyzed porosity changes with varying pore-former content (10–30 wt%)
- Evaluated sintering temperatures from 1050–1250°C
- Studied binder burnout in nitrogen, air, and vacuum atmospheres
- Measured I–V curves, Nyquist plots, and stability at 850°C
Notably, under optimal processing conditions, the printed SOFC achieved excellent structural integrity and high power density at 850°C.
Conclusion
This research proves the feasibility of using ceramic 3D printing for creating robust and efficient inert supports for SOFCs. It also highlights the importance of optimizing each step — from slurry formulation to sintering — to achieve high performance.
➕ Learn more about our ceramic 3D printers designed for energy applications.
Published by Adventuretech | Innovation in Ceramic 3D Printing