Characterization of Ni-cermet degradation phenomena I. Long term resistivity monitoring, image processing and X-ray fluorescence analysis

The present paper is devoted to Ni-cermet degradation phenomena and places emphasis on experimental approaches and data handling. The resistivity of Ni-YSZ cermet (nickel and 8 mol.% yttria stabilized zirconia) anode substrates was monitored during 3000 h at 700 and 800 °C in a gas mixture of 80 vol.% water vapor and 20 vol.% hydrogen. The experimentally evaluated dependence of resistivity of the Ni-YSZ substrates can be well described by exponential decay functions. Post test analysis by image processing and XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analysis for characterization of the microstructure and elemental composition were carried out for virgin samples and after 300, 1000 and 3000 h of exposure time. The 3D-microstructure was reconstructed using an original spheres packing algorithm. Two processes leading to the Ni-YSZ degradation were observed: Ni-phase particle coarsening and volatilization. The effect of these processes on resistivity and such microstructure parameters as porosity, Ni-phase fraction, Ni and YSZ phases particle size distributions, triple phase boundary length, and tortuosity factor are considered in this paper.