Electrolyte formation for a solid oxide fuel cell device

A method of using a SSZ/SDC bi-layer electrolyte cell, comprising the steps of:

• a) fabricating the SSZ/SDC bi-layer electrolyte cell using the method of any one of claims 1-15;
• b) operating the SSZ/SDC bi-layer electrolyte cell at an intermediate temperature;
• and
• c) using a fuel at the anode and an oxidant at the cathode, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbons, coal gas, bio-derived fuels, other renewable solid wastes and mixtures thereof, and the oxidant is selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen and mixtures thereof to achieve a fuel to electricity efficiency of at least 60% at an operating temperature less than about 700° C.

A SSZ/SDC bi-layer electrolyte cell comprising:

• a) a NiO-YSZ anode substrate fabricated from a mixed NiO and yttria-stabilized zirconia;
• b) an active layer comprising
• i. a NiO-SSZ buffer layer deposited on the NiO-YSZ substrate;
• ii. a thin SSZ electrolyte layer deposited on the NiO-SSZ buffer layer;
• and
• iii. a SDC electrolyte deposited on the thin SSZ electrolyte layer;
• iv. wherein the active layer is co-fired at about 1200° C. to about 1400° C. to densify the electrolyte layers to at least about 96% of their theoretical densities;
• and
• c) a porous SSC-SDC cathode painted on the SDC electrolyte.