A Novel Metal Foam-Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cell With High Specific Power

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Conversion

Background:

• Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer high efficiency for transportation but suffer from low specific power, limiting mobile applications.
• Current SOFC designs are often too heavy and fragile for demanding transportation sectors like aerospace and vehicles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel SOFC structure that enhances specific power and impact resistance for mobile applications.
• To investigate the use of a highly porous, large-pore metal foam as a lightweight support for SOFCs.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a novel SOFC structure using a metal foam support with commercially available functional layers.
• Characterization of the SOFC's performance, including power density and specific power at 650°C.
• Assessment of impact resistance and structural properties using 3D computed tomography.

Main Results:

• The novel SOFC achieved a peak power density of 1.01 W/cm² and a specific power of 6.56 kW/kg.
• Impact resistance was improved more than tenfold compared to conventional SOFCs.
• The metal foam support maintained 90% porosity, enhancing diffusion and reducing mass to 0.15 g/cm².

Conclusions:

• The metal foam supported SOFC significantly improves specific power and impact resistance, addressing key limitations for mobile power.
• This lightweight design is a breakthrough for commercializing SOFCs in transportation applications.
• The enhanced diffusion and reduced mass demonstrate the viability of metal foam supports for next-generation fuel cells.