The performance of solid oxide fuel cells is dominated by their microstructure in the reaction zone which is a three-phase boundary (TPB) among the electrolyte, the electrode and gas phase, which can act as an electrochemically active site for the electrode reaction. In order to improve the performance of the unit cell, a new method was proposed involving the oxidation reaction of nano nickel powder. Furthermore, the nano-microstructure of a nickel/yttria-stabilized zirconia (Ni/YSZ) cermet as an anode substrate was fabricated. The oxidation of nickel was completed at 900 οC over 2 h; this sintering temperature of the anode substrate was much lower than that of anode substrates including NiO and YSZ starting powder which is about 1450 οC. The anode substrate was nano-microstructured using Ni nano powder. There was no shrinkage or grain growth after sintering. A homogeneous pore channel was created by supplying air into the anode substrate during the oxidation reaction of nickel without additional pore formers, and the fuel was supplied excellently.

Keywords: Low temperature sintering, Nickel oxidation, Reaction sintering, Anode substrate, Solid oxide fuel cell.