Study of the Ni-NiAl2O4-YSZ cermet for its possible application as an anode in solid oxide fuel cells

Nanocrystalline Ni-NiAl2O4-YSZ cermet with a possible application as anode in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) has been developed. The powders were prepared by using an alternative solid-state method that includes the use of nickel acetylacetonate as an inorganic precursor to obtain a highly porous material after sintering at 1400 oC and oxide reduction (NiO -Al2O3-YSZ → Ni-NiAl2O4-YSZ) at 800 oC for 8 h in a tubular reactor furnace using 10% H2/N2. Eight samples with 45% Ni and 55% Al2O3-YSZ in concentrations of Al2O3 oxides from 10 to 80 wt% of were mixed to obtain the cermets. The obtained material was compressed using unidirectional axial pressing and calcinations from room temperature to 800 oC. Good results were registered using a heating rate of 1 oC min-1 and a special ramp to avoid anode cracking. Thermal expansion, electrical conductivity, and structural characterization by thermo-mechanical analyser (TMA) techniques/methods, the four-point probe method for conductivity, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and the Rietveld method were carried out. Cermets in the range 5.5 to 11% Al2O3 present a crystal size around 200 nm. An inversion degree (I) in the NiAl2O4 spinel structure of the cermets Ni-NiAl2O4-YSZ was found after the sintering and reduction processes. Good electrical conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient were obtained for the cermet with 12 wt% of spinel structure formation