Thin film solid oxide fuel cell (TF-SOFC) has been studied for past few decades to lower its operating temperature to intermediate temperature range (400℃-700℃). However, it is a challenge to deposit a pinhole free electrolyte thin film on a conventional porous ceramic support. In the case of the Ni-Fe based metal support, even if NiO-Fe2O3 is manufactured as a dense structure, it is reduced to Ni-Fe in a hydrogen atmosphere and forms pores. In this study, Ni-Fe based metal support has been introduced as TF-SOFC support to deposit pinhole free electrolyte. Metal support was fabricated as 290㎛ thick porous bulk(34% porosity) with 10㎛ thick dense layer(<1% porosity) by using tape casting process. Ni-Fe ratio (9:1. 7:3, 5:5, 3:7) and sintering condition (1300℃-1500℃) of metal support were optimized to minimize a mismatch of TEC with thin film and improve microstructure stability of support. After that, NiO-YSZ anode functional layer (AFL) and YSZ electrolyte were continuously deposited on metal support through RF sputtering. By tailoring sputtering condition (substrate temperature, operating pressure, reactive gas flow), 39vol%NiO-YSZ composition AFL and 8.6mol%YSZ pinhole free electrolyte were deposited. Annealing was performed at a temperature of 1100℃ or less to improve the crystallinity of the thin film and suppress Ni agglomeration of Ni-YSZ AFL while minimizing diffusion of Fe in the AFL. In cell operating condition (600℃-H2 atmosphere), the dense layer of metal support and NiO-YSZ AFL formed 28% and 24% of pores, respectively. By using LSM-YSZ cathode through the screen printing process, Metal support (300㎛) / Ni-YSZ (1.3㎛) / YSZ (0.8㎛) / LSM-YSZ (20㎛) button cell was fabricated, and electrochemical analysis was performed.

Key wards: Sputtering, Thin film, Metal Support, Ni-Fe, YSZ, Ni-YSZ