Abstract
In this research, anode for SOFC has been manufactured from two different kinds of feedstock materials through thermal spraying process and the properties of the coatings were characterized and compared. One kind of feedstock was manufactured from spray drying method which includes nano-components of NiO, YSZ (300 nm) and graphite. And the other is manufactured by blending the micron size NiO coated graphite, YSZ and graphite powders as feedstock materials. Microstructure, mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of the coatings as-sprayed, after oxidation and after hydrogen reduction containing nano composite which is prepared from spray-dried powders were evaluated and compared with the same properties of the coatings prepared from blended powder feedstock. The coatings prepared from the spray dried powders has better properties as they provide larger triple phase boundaries for hydrogen oxidation reaction and is expected to have lower polarization loss for SOFC anode applications than that of the coatings prepared from blended feedstock. A maximum electrical conductivity of 651 S/cm at $800^{\circ}C$ was achieved for the coatings from spray dried powders which much more than that of the average value.
