Preparation of a solid oxide fuel cell having thin electrolyte and interconnect layers

A method of preparing a fuel cell element comprising the steps of;

• preparing a first unfired ceramic tape comprising an anode material;
• preparing a second unfired ceramic tape comprising an electrolyte material, the second ceramic tape being less than about 1/5 the thickness of the first ceramic tape;
• laminating the first ceramic tape and the second ceramic tape to form an unfired anode/electrolyte laminate, said electrolyte material forming an electrolyte layer of said unfired anode/electrolyte laminate, and said anode material forming an anode layer of said unfired anode/electrolyte laminate;
• rolling the unfired anode/electrolyte laminate to reduce its thickness;
• embossing a gas flow path pattern into the anode layer of the unfired anode/electrolyte laminate;
• sintering the unfired anode/electrolyte laminate to form a sintered anode/electrolyte laminate;
• preparing a third unfired ceramic tape comprising a cathode material;
• preparing a fourth unfired ceramic tape comprising an interconnect material, the fourth ceramic tape being less than about 1/5 the thickness of the third ceramic tape;
• laminating the fourth ceramic tape and the third ceramic tape to form an unfired cathode/interconnect laminate, said cathode material forming a cathode layer of said unfired cathode/interconnect laminate, and said interconnect material forming an interconnect layer of said cathode/interconnect laminate;
• rolling the unfired cathode/interconnect laminate to reduce its thickness;
• embossing a gas flow path pattern into the cathode layer of the unfired cathode/interconnect laminate;
• sintering the unfired cathode/interconnect laminate to form a sintered cathode/interconnect laminate;
• and
• bonding the sintered anode/electrolyte laminate to the sintered cathode/interconnect laminate, such that the electrolyte layer contacts the cathode layer, to form a fuel cell element.