This article summarizes a unique approach in which all-ceramic interconnects are used in place of metal interconnects in solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks. The approach combines advanced SOFC materials with the manufacturing technology and infrastructure established for multilayer ceramic (MLC) packaging for the microelectronics industry. The MLC interconnect is fabricated using multiple layers of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) tape, with each layer containing conductive vias to provide for electrical current flow through the interconnect. The all-ceramic interconnect design facilitates uniform distribution of air and fuel gas to the respective electrodes of adjacent cells. The multilayer interconnects are fabricated using traditional MLC manufacturing processes. A detailed description of the processes for fabricating the all-ceramic interconnect is presented.To aid in moving from prototype fabrication to commercialization of these fuel cell systems, a detailed cost model has been used as a roadmap for commercial stack development. Cost model projections are presented for three different interconnect footprint sizes. These projections show an SOFC stack cost of less than $150 per kilowatt for the optimized SOFC stack design produced at high volume.

Three solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolytes, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), rare-earth–doped ceria (REDC), and lanthanum strontium gallium magnesium oxide (LSGM), are reviewed on their electrical properties, materials compatibility, and mass transport properties in relation to their use in SOFCs. For the fluorite-type oxides (zirconia and ceria), electrical properties and thermodynamic stability are discussed in relation to their valence stability and the size of the host and dopant ions. Materials compatibility with electrodes is examined in terms of physicochemical features and their relationship to the electrochemical reactions. The application of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to detect interface reactivity is demonstrated. The usefulness of doped ceria is discussed as an interlayer to prevent chemical reactions at the electrode–electrolyte interfaces and also as an oxide component in Ni–cermet anodes to avoid carbon deposition on nickel surfaces. Finally, the importance of cation diffusivity in LSGM is discussed, with an emphasis on the grain-boundary effects.