In future energy concepts, metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (MSCs) are promising candidates for the highly efficient conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy. In comparison to ceramic-supported fuel cells, MSCs offer various attractive potentials, i.e. cost reduction, improved ruggedness and abuse tolerance, which makes them particularly attractive for use in auxiliary power units (APUs). Since 2008, Plansee has been developing a proprietary MSC concept aiming to extend its portfolio of innovative SOFC components. Since the electrochemical performance of current MSCs is still lower than in the state of the art ceramic-supported fuel cells, and since MSC specific degradation phenomena are still not fully understand, Plansee has decided to intensify fundamental research on MSC-related issues.

The application for a Christian Doppler Laboratory ¿Interfaces in Metal-Supported Electrochemical Energy Converters¿ proposes a research concept that reflects the major challenges of current MSC technology and is in line with the principles of the Christian Doppler Research Association. The CD Laboratory will be implemented at Forschungszentrum Jülich (Jülich, Germany), one of the pioneers and leading research institutes in SOFC technology worldwide. An external module will be implemented at Vienna University of Technology, which will contribute its widely recognized expertise in electrochemistry. From the very beginning, Forschungszentrum Jülich has been a strategic partner in Plansee¿s MSC activities. Due to its profound expertise in SOFC technology, including comprehensive know-how of all related processing technologies ranging from classical powder technologies to the point of innovative thin-film technologies ¿ not available in this compact form in any of the related Austrian research institution ¿ Forschungszentrum Jülich is Plansee¿s preferred partner to operate the proposed CD Laboratory.

As requested by the guiding principles of the Christian Doppler Research Association, the work plan of the CD Laboratory will combine applied topics with a significant amount of fundamental research. Novel material concepts and processing technologies developed by the partners in the CD Laboratory will be directly implemented by Plansee in their current industrialization process for MSC technology. Industrial relevance of the work plan is supported by the contribution of AVL List GmbH, one of the world leading companies which are currently developing APUs based on SOFC technology. On a fundamental level, an experimental set-up based on the impedance spectroscopy of microelectrodes will be implemented, which allows fast screening of novel electrode materials and interface engineering pertinent to representative stack operating conditions. Results achieved by this set-up will be used to describe MSC-specific mechanisms of cell degradation qualitatively as well as by mathematical modelling. In the case of proving the accordance of impedance spectra generated by this set-up and related spectra achieved in single cell or stack tests, a powerful tool will be available for accelerated characterization of novel electrode materials, which is of general interest for the global SOFC community.

On a long-term scale, it is also planned to transfer the MSC know-how from the CD Laboratory to other promising future energy concepts, e.g. high temperature electrolysis.