Description

Key Properties & Advantages
This NiO anode current collector slurry balances high solids loading with processability, ensuring optimal performance in SOFC anodes:

High Solids Content (60?C75%): Enables thick or thin film deposition in a single pass, reducing coating cycles and ensuring a dense, conductive layer after sintering??critical for low-resistance current collection.
Fine Fineness (<5 ??m): Ensures uniform particle dispersion, preventing agglomerates that could disrupt electron flow. The sub-5 ??m particle size promotes tight packing, forming a continuous NiO network that converts to conductive metallic Ni post-reduction. Tailored Viscosity (600?C1500 cP): Optimized for controlled flow during application, ensuring smooth, defect-free coatings on anode substrates (e.g., NiO-YSZ, NiO-GDC) without sagging or pooling??compatible with standard SOFC fabrication equipment. Post-Reduction Conductivity: Upon reduction in H? (500?C700??C), NiO converts to metallic Ni, forming a highly conductive (10??C10? S/cm) network that efficiently collects electrons from the anode reaction site, minimizing series resistance in SOFC stacks. Adhesion & Durability: Formulated with a high-temperature binder system that burns out cleanly during sintering, leaving a porous yet robust Ni layer that withstands thermal cycling and chemical exposure in SOFC operating environments (800?C1000??C). Compatibility: Works seamlessly with common SOFC anode materials (NiO-YSZ, NiO-GDC) and electrolytes (YSZ, GDC), ensuring chemical stability and no interfacial reactions during high-temperature operation. Core Applications Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) This NiO slurry is a critical component in SOFC anode design, enhancing current collection efficiency: Anode Current Collector Layers: Applied as a conductive coating on the anode surface, it forms a low-resistance pathway between the anode active layer and the SOFC interconnect, improving electron transport and reducing stack resistance. Thick-Film Anode Structures: Ideal for anode-supported SOFCs, where its high solids content enables the formation of thick (10?C50 ??m) collector layers that ensure uniform current distribution across large-area anodes. Stack Assembly: Facilitates reliable electrical contact between individual cells in SOFC stacks, supporting scalable production of high-power systems for distributed energy, industrial heat, and hydrogen production. High-Temperature Electrochemical Devices Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOECs): Used as a current collector in hydrogen-producing electrolyzers, leveraging its conductivity and stability in reducing environments (H?-rich atmospheres). The active component is high-purity nickel oxide (NiO). The solids content is 60?C75 wt.% (NiO + binder system). Fineness is <5 ??m (maximum particle size, laser diffraction). Viscosity is 600?C1500 cP (measured at 25??C, Brookfield method). The binder system is a high-temperature organic binder (burns out cleanly at 400?C600??C). Color is dark green to gray slurry. Drying time is 30?C60 minutes at 60?C80??C (air drying). Application Guidelines Coating Methods: Compatible with screen printing (100?C325 mesh), doctor blading, or spray coating. Adjust viscosity with distilled water (if needed) for specific equipment. Drying: Air-dry at 60?C80??C to remove solvents, ensuring no cracking before sintering. Sintering: Fire at 1000?C1100??C in air (2-hour ramp, 1-hour hold) to densify the layer and burn out binders. Reduction: Convert NiO to metallic Ni in H? atmosphere (5?C10% H? in N?) at 600?C800??C (2-hour hold) to activate conductivity. Quality Assurance Each batch of NiO anode current collector slurry undergoes rigorous testing: Solids content measurement to confirm 60?C75 wt.% range. Fineness testing (laser diffraction) to verify <5 ??m particle size. Viscosity measurement to ensure 600?C1500 cP range. Adhesion testing (tape test) post-sintering to confirm coating integrity.