Metal supported solid oxide fuel cell

1. A reversible solid oxide fuel cell obtainable by a method comprising the steps of:

providing a metallic support layer;

forming a cathode precursor layer on the metallic support layer;

forming an electrolyte layer on the cathode precursor layer;

sintering the obtained multilayer structure;

in any order conducting the steps of:

forming a cathode layer by impregnating the cathode precursor layer, and

forming an anode layer on the electrolyte layer;

wherein the method further comprises, prior to forming said cathode layer,

impregnating a precursor solution or suspension of a barrier material into the metallic support layer and the cathode precursor layer and subsequently conducting a heat treatment.

2. A reversible solid oxide fuel cell according to claim 1 wherein the step of forming an anode layer on the electrolyte layer is conducted prior to the step of forming a cathode layer and comprises:

forming an anode precursor layer on the electrolyte layer prior to sintering the obtained multilayer structure,

after sintering the obtained multilayer structure, forming the anode layer by impregnating the anode precursor layer with a precursor solution or suspension comprising compounds selected from the group consisting of Ni, Ce, Gd and mixtures thereof; the method further comprising, prior to forming said cathode and anode layers,

impregnating the precursor solution or suspension of a barrier material into the metallic support layer, cathode precursor layer and anode precursor layer, and subsequently conducting a heat treatment.

3. A reversible solid oxide fuel cell according to claim 1 wherein the impregnating step of barrier material is conducted by vacuum infiltration.

4. A reversible solid oxide fuel cell according to claim 1 wherein the barrier material comprises doped ceria.

5. A reversible solid oxide fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the precursor solution or suspension of barrier material is a nitrate solution of doped ceria or a colloidal suspension of doped ceria particles having average diameter of 2-100 nm.

6. A reversible solid oxide fuel cell according to claim 1 further comprising providing one or more intermediate transition layers between said metallic support layer and said cathode precursor layer.

7. A reversible solid oxide fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic support layer comprises a FeCrMx alloy, wherein Mx is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Ti, Ce, Mn, Mo, W, Co, La, Y, Al, and mixtures thereof; and from about 0 to about 50 volt metal oxides and wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group of doped zirconia, doped ceria, Mg/Ca/SrO, CoOx, MnOx, B 2 O 3 , CuO x , ZnO 2 , VO x , Cr 2 O 3 , FeO, MoO x , WO x , Ga 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , and mixtures thereof.

8. A reversible solid oxide fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cathode layer comprises doped zirconia and/or doped ceria and/or a FeCrMx alloy, and further at least one material selected from the group consisting of: (La 1-x Sr x ) s MnO 3-δ and (A 1-x B X ) s Fe 1-y Co y O 3-δ where A=La, Gd, Y, Sm, Ln or mixtures thereof, and B.dbd.Ba, Sr, Ca, or mixtures thereof, and Ln=lanthanides.

9. A reversible solid oxide fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte layer comprises doped zirconia or doped ceria.

10. A reversible solid oxide fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the formed anode layer is a redox stable anode comprising Ni-zirconia or Ni-ceria or materials selected from the group consisting of La(Sr)Ga(Mg)O3-δ, SrCe(Yb)O3-δ, BaZr(Y)O3-δ and mixtures thereof.