Application of SIMS analyses on oxygen transport in SOFC materials

The oxygen transport was investigated for modelled interface of striped metal electrode on a solid oxide electrolyte by oxygen tracer exchange and three dimensional imaging techniques by using a secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The gold or platinum electrode on yttrium stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte were stable, and acted as a blocking layer of 18O diffusion during the treatments in dry atmosphere at T = 873 K in p(18O2) = 7 kPa. The oxygen flow via triple phase boundary was clearly observed for both electrodes. The treatment in humid atmosphere (T = 773 K, p(18O2) = 7 kPa, p(H2 18O) = 2 kPa) raised the flux of oxygen diffusion through YSZ surface, however, it did not affect on the role of electrode on the oxygen transport properties.