Neutron Diffraction Residual Strain Measurements of Molybdenum Carbide-Based Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anode Layers with Metal Oxides on Hastelloy X

Thermal spray deposition processes impart residual stress in layered Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) materials and hence influence the durability and efficiency of the cell. The current study which is the first of its kind in published literature, reports results on using a neutron diffraction technique, to non-destructively evaluate the through thickness strain measurement in plasma sprayed (as-sprayed) anode layer coatings on a Hastelloy®X substrate. Through thickness neutron diffraction residual strain measurements were done on three different anode coatings (Mo-Mo₂C/Al₂O₃, Mo-Mo₂C/ZrO₂ and Mo-Mo₂C/TiO₂) using the vertical scan mode. The three anode coatings (developed through optimised process parameters) investigated had porosities as high as 20%, with thicknesses between 200 μm to 300 μm deposited on 4.76 mm thick Hastelloy®X substrate discs of 20 mm diameter. The results showed that while the through thickness residual strain in all three anodes was dissimilar for the investigated crystallographic planes, on average it was tensile. Other measurements include X-ray diffraction, nanoindentation and SEM microscopy. As the anode layer microstructures are complex (includes bi-layer alternate phases), non-destructive characterisation of residual strain, e.g. using neutron diffraction, provides a useful measure of through thickness strain profile without altering the stress field in the SOFC electrode assembly.