FURI | Spring 2023

Testing the Effect of 3D Printed Electrolyte Structures on the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Recent literature has highlighted the growing capability of printing the electrolyte layer of ceramic solid oxide fuel cells using additive manufacturing techniques, primarily to reduce manufacturing costs. The electrolyte layer allows the passage of oxygen ions to complete an electrochemical reaction. One previous study details an ink recipe that was able to create tall pillar structures through inkjet printing, which resulted in a significant reduction in oxygen mass transport and surface exchange. In this work, an ink is formulated for the electrolyte layer and printed onto dry-pressed YSZ cells, then compared with previous inks from other works.