| dc.description.abstract | Reducing solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operation temperature from 900-100 °C to
700-800 °C, has made the substitution of traditional lanthanum chromate (LaCrO3)
ceramic interconnect with metallic interconnect possible. At elevated temperature
and in oxidant environment, a metal is not stable and will transform into its oxide.
Typical metallic materials used as SOFCs interconnects are stainless steels with a
Cr-content around 20 wt.%, and with some minor alloying elements like Mn.
During oxidation at elevated temperatures, chromium will be preferentially
oxidized forming a continuous chromia layer (Cr2O3) to protect the steel against
fast oxidation. However, chromia is not stable at these temperatures and in humid
cathode environment and it will vaporize by formation of volatile Cr-oxides or
hydroxides. These gaseous species are causing chromium poisoning of the SOFC
cathode. The chromium poisoning process has an impact on SOFCs performance as
the chromium will block the surface active area for electrochemical reaction of
oxygen reduction. If there is enough Mn present within the steel alloy, thermally
grown (Mn,Cr)3O4 spinel will form on the top of chromia layer to reduce the
poisoning effect. Nevertheless, the steel substrate used as SOFCs interconnect
should be pre-coated to minimize the poisoning effect. Spinels and perovskites
have been reported as potential materials for such coatings, with the spinels as the
best candidates. They have high enough electrical conductivity, show matching
thermal expansion coefficients with the base materials, and have good chemical
stability and compatibility with the other fuel cells part.
In this thesis, high temperature corrosion and corrosion protection of metallic
interconnects has been investigated. In the first part, Mn2O3 is deposited on steel
substrates and used as a model system to study the early stage of protective spinel
coating formation on the steel substrate. Phase formation and phase growth after
long time exposure to oxidizing environments at high temperature are investigated.
The second part of the thesis looks at the phase stability and the formation of
secondary phases when interconnect coating materials were in contact with potential cathode materials. From this we look at which materials which are
coexistent and can be used together without any destructive phases formed, and
which ones cannot be used in the same SOFC fuel cell. In the third part, deposition
of MnCo2O4-spinel by the electrophoretic deposition method (EPD) on steel
substrates is reported. The method and its parameters is closely investigated to
give coatings that are homogenous and without cracks, and therefore can act as a
corrosion barrier. The durability and the coating’s adhesion is also brought into
discussion. | nb_NO |
