title: Influence of Treatment Temperature on Microstructure and Properties of YSZ-NiO Anode Materials.
abstract: The cyclic treatment technique (redox cycling) comprising stages of material exposition in reducing and oxidizing high-temperature environments and intermediate degassing between these stages has been developed to improve the structural integrity of YSZ-NiO ceramic anode substrates for solid oxide fuel cells. A series of specimens were singly reduced in a hydrogenous environment (the Ar-5 vol% Н2 mixture or hydrogen of 99.99 vol% H2 purity) under the pressure of 0.15 MPa or subjected to redox cycling at 600 or 800 °C. The influence of redox cycling at the treatment temperatures of 600 and 800 °C on the structure, strength and electrical conductivity of the material has been analysed. Using the treatment temperature 600 °C, a structure providing improved physical and mechanical properties of the material was formed. However, at the treatment temperature 800 °C, an anode structure with an array of microcracks was formed that significantly reduced the strength and electrical conductivity of the material.
authors.affiliation: H. V. Karpenko Physico-Mechanical Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 5 Naukova str, Lviv, 79060, Ukraine. podhurskavika@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Viktoriya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Podhurska
authors.affiliation: H. V. Karpenko Physico-Mechanical Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 5 Naukova str, Lviv, 79060, Ukraine. vasyliv@ipm.lviv.ua.
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vasyliv
authors.affiliation: H. V. Karpenko Physico-Mechanical Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 5 Naukova str, Lviv, 79060, Ukraine. ostash@ipm.lviv.ua.
authors.forename: Orest
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ostash
authors.affiliation: I. M. Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 3 Krzhizhanovsky str, Kyiv, 03680, Ukraine. bregor@ukr.net.
authors.forename: Yegor
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Brodnikovskyi
authors.affiliation: I. M. Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 3 Krzhizhanovsky str, Kyiv, 03680, Ukraine. oleksa.vasylyev@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Oleksandr
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vasylyev
keywords: Electrical conductivity; High temperature; Hydrogenous environment; Microstructure; Redox treatment; SOFC anode material; Strength