LAUSR

Among the critical components of SOFC, interconnects are coated steel plates. Their main roles are to collect current, separate the gases and to ensure mechanical stability of the stack. The main problem is that at 700-800°C (SOFC working temperature), the chromium present in the steel to prevent its oxidation tends to evaporate and contaminate other parts of the stack [1]. Hence coatings are necessary to protect chromium from evaporation. Several SOFC metallic interconnect coatings are based on cobalt, which is efficient to prevent chromium evaporation and to maintain the contact resistance low after prolonged exposure [2]. The addition of a very thin cerium layer beneath the Co coating seems to reinforce its properties [3]. The oxidation of such coated SOFC FeCr steels, which contain a considerable number of alloy additives, becomes difficult to interpret.