Development of Novel (Cu,Fe)3O4 Coatings for AISI 441 Solid Oxide Cell Interconnects : Coating optimization and long-term study

Abstract: As current environmental challenges are gaining increased attention, development of clean energy solutions is becoming one of the essential strategies to keep within the boundaries of established environmental policies. Solid oxide cell (SOC) technology can provide clean energy conversion and storage when hydrogen is the energy carrier. The high total energy conversion efficiency resulting from the high operation temperature of SOCs make the technology promising, but material costs must be reduced to make it commercially viable. Therefore, this thesis aims to study the long- term performance of a novel cost-optimized cell interconnect at 650 and 850 °C. At high temperatures, chromium evaporation from the interconnect result in electrode poisoning, which may be mitigated by application of a protective coating. The studied interconnect is an AISI 441 steel with some different pre-oxidized copper and iron spinel coatings. Sample analysis was made mainly with scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. It was found that the most promising pre-oxidation treatment was 24 h at 750 °C and that chromium migration was restrained at 650 °C long-term treatment but not at 850 °C where it wasfound available for evaporation at the surface.