Heterogeneous ceramic composite SOFC electrolyte

1. A method of making a solid oxide fuel cell, comprising:

mixing yttria stabilized zirconia powder with scandia ceria stabilized zirconia powder to form a powder mixture, wherein:

the scandia ceria stabilized zirconia comprises 1 molar percent or less ceria, about 6 to about 11 molar percent scandia and a balance comprising zirconia;

shaping the powder mixture;

sintering the shaped powder mixture to form an electrolyte;

forming an anode electrode on a first side of the electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte is thicker than the anode electrode, wherein:

the anode electrode comprises a first sublayer comprising nickel and samaria doped ceria and a second sublayer comprising a doped ceria containing ceramic phase and a nickel containing phase, wherein the samaria doped ceria comprises about 15 to about 25 molar percent samaria; and

the first sublayer is located between the electrolyte and the second sublayer; and

forming a cathode electrode on a second side of the electrolyte.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scandia ceria stabilized zirconia comprises 1 molar percent ceria, 10 molar percent scandia and the balance comprising zirconia.

3. A method of making a solid oxide fuel cell, comprising:

mixing powders to form a powder mixture comprising zirconia, 1 molar percent or less ceria, about 6 to about 11 molar percent scandia;

shaping the powder mixture;

sintering the shaped powder mixture to form an electrolyte;

forming an anode electrode on a first side of the electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte is thicker than the anode electrode, wherein:

the anode electrode comprises a first sublayer comprising nickel and samaria doped ceria and a second sublayer comprising a doped ceria containing ceramic phase and a nickel containing phase, wherein the samaria doped ceria comprises about 15 to about 25 molar percent samaria; and

the first sublayer is located between the electrolyte and the second sublayer; and

forming a cathode electrode on a second side of the electrolyte.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the powder mixture comprises 1 molar percent ceria and 10 molar percent scandia.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein:

an amount of nickel in the first sublayer is less than the amount of nickel in the second sublayer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode has a thickness between 20 and 40 microns and the electrolyte has a thickness between 150 and 300 microns.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first sublayer has a thickness less than 10 microns.