Method of manufacturing a fuel cell stack having an electrically conductive interconnect

A method of manufacturing a solid oxide fuel cell stack having an electrically conductive interconnect, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell, wherein each of said fuel cells include an electrolyte sandwiched between an anode and a cathode;
• (b) providing a substrate comprising an iron-chromium alloy, wherein said substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite of said first surface;
• (c) depositing a layer of metallic cobalt over at least a portion of at least one of said first and second surfaces;
• (d) subjecting said layer of metallic cobalt to reducing conditions for a predetermined time and temperature, such that a portion of said metallic cobalt is diffused into said iron-chromium alloy substrate, thereby forming a layer of cobalt-iron-chromium alloy;
• (e) then exposing the remaining portion of said layer of metallic cobalt to oxidizing conditions for a predetermined time and temperature, such that the surface portion of said layer of metallic cobalt is oxidized to cobalt oxide, thereby forming said electrically conductive interconnect comprising said layer of metallic cobalt sandwiched between a surface layer of cobalt oxide and said layer of cobalt-iron-chromium alloy;
• and
• (f) sandwiching said substrate between said first and second fuel cells, wherein said first surface of substrate is in electrical contact said anode of first fuel cell and said second surface of substrate is in electrical contact with said cathode of said second fuel cell.