Advanced Manufacturing Techniques for High-Efficiency Functional Gradient Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

The use of functionally-graded materials in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) can improve performance and reliability of the devices. However, cost effective and dependable manufacturing methods to achieve these functionally graded materials have been hard to come by. Optomec’s M3D technology is ideal for this application as materials can be perfectly mixed in an aerosol form before being deposited to form a homogeneous layer. By adjusting flow rates to the individual atomizer units, composition can be very accurately controlled. In addition, M3D provides excellent spatial control mechanisms for material deposition; these can be utilized to introduce synthetic porosity thereby improving transport of gasses to and from the electrolyte region.