Journal of Materials Chemistry

The performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) was significantly enhanced through surface modification of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte by doped ceria interlayers. Ultra-thin yttria-doped-ceria (YDC) layers were fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The doping concentrations of Y₂O₃ were finely tuned by changing the Ce:Y pulsing ratios. YDC layers were inserted between bulk YSZ electrolyte and a porous Pt cathode. The performance of SOFCs with different doping concentrations of YDC interlayers was measured using the linear sweep voltammetry method at operating temperatures between 300 and 500 °C. The fuel cell performance was enhanced by a factor of 2–3.6 within the Y₂O₃ doping range of 12–17 M%. The enhanced performance was attributed to an increased oxide ion incorporation rate at the electrode/electrolyte interface.