Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: A Challange for Plasma Deposition Processes

Kurzfassung

Fuel cells directly convert chemical energy into electrical energy with the potential of very high-efficient values because they are not subjected to the Carnot relationship. Of the different fuel cell types in particular Solide Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) meet a high interest for different applications due to their specific advantageous properties. They operate in the high temperature range around and above 800 °C and consist in the electrochemical active part mainly of ceramic material. Their economic and technical breakthrough depends still on the success to realize them with high quality, reliability and efficiency, and in particular with acceptable and attractive costs. Different manufacturing methods are in application or under development for the production of the cell components. Beneath these methods are also plasma spray technologies. This review will show the specific demands, the performed and ongoing work, the state of development and especially the required R+D goals to render this type of methods successful.