Nickel Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (8YSZ)

Nickel Oxide – Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (NiO-YSZ) powder is the industry-standard precursor for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anodes, engineered to reduce in-cell to the high-performance Ni-YSZ cermet that powers commercial and next-generation fuel cell stacks. Supplied as a finely controlled blend of nickel oxide and 8 mol% yttria-stabilised zirconia, this powder is formulated for tape casting, screen printing, and co-sintering with YSZ electrolytes. Its particle size distribution and NiO: YSZ ratio are tuned to establish the percolating electronic and ionic conduction networks that anode performance depends on. From automotive auxiliary power units to stationary combined heat and power systems, this material is the trusted starting point for anode fabrication. Custom ratios, particle sizes, and purities are available for R&D and production-scale programs alike.

Surface Area (m²/g) :	4-8
Particle size d₅₀ (μm) :	<1.5
Purity (%) :	>=99.9

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Description

Introduction to Nickel Oxide – Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Powder

Nickel Oxide–Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (NiO-YSZ) is a ceramic-metal precursor composite typically formulated at 60:40 wt% NiO:8YSZ, with 40:60 and 50:50 ratios available to balance electronic conductivity, mechanical strength, and redox stability. During SOFC startup, NiO is reduced in situ to metallic Ni, forming a continuous electronically conductive network within the ionically conductive YSZ matrix. The interconnected Ni, YSZ, and pore structure creates triple-phase boundaries (TPBs) where fuel oxidation occurs, making particle size, dispersion, porosity, and phase connectivity critical to anode performance. Supplied as a fine, homogeneous oxide powder, NiO-YSZ is suitable for tape casting, screen printing, extrusion, and co-sintering with YSZ electrolytes. It is widely used for SOFC anodes and related solid-oxide electrochemical devices.

FAQs

Question: What is Nickel Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia 60wt%NiO/40wt% (8YSZ) used for in fuel cells?

Answer: It is mainly used as an anode material in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), providing high ionic and electronic conductivity for efficient energy conversion.

Question: What are the advantages of using 60wt%NiO/40wt% (8YSZ) in fuel cells?

Answer: Its high operating temperature, mechanical stability, ionic and electrical conductivity, and mechanical stability make it suitable for highly efficient fuel cells and electrolyzers.

Question: Why is Nickel Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia essential for SOFC performance?

Answer: It improves the performance of SOFCs by enhancing the fuel cell's efficiency, stability, and longevity, especially at the high operating temperatures that usually apply in these systems.

Question: How does particle size affect anode performance?

Answer: Finer D50 particle sizes and more thorough mixing increase triple-phase-boundary (TPB) density and lower polarization resistance, improving cell power output. Overly fine, poorly dispersed powders can over-sinter or agglomerate, however, so particle size is selected alongside processing conditions.

Introduction to Nickel Oxide – Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Powder

Property	Value	Significance
NiO: YSZ weight ratio	60:40 wt% (standard); 40:60-60:40 wt% custom range	Sets post-reduction Ni volume fraction and percolation threshold for electronic conductivity
Particle size (D50)	< 1.5 um fine grade; 0.5-5 um across grades, often bimodal	Finer, well-mixed particles raise triple-phase-boundary (TPB) density and lower polarisation resistance
Surface area (BET)	1-8 m2/g depending on grade	Higher surface area aids sinter-activity and green-body reactivity but raises agglomeration risk.
Purity	99% – 99.9% (metals basis)	Limits secondary-phase formation (e.g., zirconates, silicates) at the anode/electrolyte interface
Density (theoretical)	~6.2-6.4 g/cm3 calculated; bulk powder ~1.5-2.5 g/cm3	Used to target green and sintered densities for tape-cast anode layers
CAS number	Not established (composite blend of NiO and 8YSZ)	Composite mixtures do not carry a single CAS registry number; constituents are NiO (1313-99-1) and ZrO2 (1314-23-4)
Molar mass	Not applicable (two-phase composite, not a single compound)	Composition is specified by weight/volume ratio rather than molecular formula
Post-reduction conductivity	Electronic ~10^2-10^3 S/cm (Ni network); ionic ~10^-2-10^-1 S/cm at 800C (YSZ network)	Confirms dual percolating networks required for TPB electrocatalysis after in-cell reduction

Property

Value

Significance

NiO: YSZ weight ratio

60:40 wt% (standard); 40:60-60:40 wt% custom range

Sets post-reduction Ni volume fraction and percolation threshold for electronic conductivity

Particle size (D50)

< 1.5 um fine grade; 0.5-5 um across grades, often bimodal

Finer, well-mixed particles raise triple-phase-boundary (TPB) density and lower polarisation resistance

Surface area (BET)

1-8 m2/g depending on grade

Higher surface area aids sinter-activity and green-body reactivity but raises agglomeration risk.

Purity

99% – 99.9% (metals basis)

Limits secondary-phase formation (e.g., zirconates, silicates) at the anode/electrolyte interface

Density (theoretical)

~6.2-6.4 g/cm3 calculated; bulk powder ~1.5-2.5 g/cm3

Used to target green and sintered densities for tape-cast anode layers

CAS number

Not established (composite blend of NiO and 8YSZ)

Composite mixtures do not carry a single CAS registry number; constituents are NiO (1313-99-1) and ZrO2 (1314-23-4)

Molar mass

Not applicable (two-phase composite, not a single compound)

Composition is specified by weight/volume ratio rather than molecular formula

Post-reduction conductivity

Electronic ~10^2-10^3 S/cm (Ni network); ionic ~10^-2-10^-1 S/cm at 800C (YSZ network)

Confirms dual percolating networks required for TPB electrocatalysis after in-cell reduction

Grade / Form	Typical Purity	Key Features / Uses
NiO-YSZ 60/40 General Purpose	99% – 99.5%	Standard anode-support blend balancing electronic conductivity, mechanical strength, and cost
NiO-YSZ 50/50 High-Ni	99% – 99.7%	Higher post-reduction Ni loading for maximum electronic conductivity; greater thermal-expansion mismatch and coarsening risk
NiO-YSZ 40/60 Redox-Tolerant	99% – 99.7%	Lower Ni loading near the percolation threshold; improved resistance to redox cycling and thermal shock
NiO-YSZ Fine/Submicron (functional layer)	99.5% – 99.9%	D50 < 1 um for thin anode functional layers; maximises TPB density adjacent to the electrolyte
NiO-YSZ Coarse/Spray-Dried (support layer)	99% – 99.5%	D50 2-5 um, agglomerated for plasma spraying or tape casting of thicker anode-support layers

Grade / Form

Typical Purity

Key Features / Uses

NiO-YSZ 60/40 General Purpose

99% – 99.5%

Standard anode-support blend balancing electronic conductivity, mechanical strength, and cost

NiO-YSZ 50/50 High-Ni

99% – 99.7%

Higher post-reduction Ni loading for maximum electronic conductivity; greater thermal-expansion mismatch and coarsening risk

NiO-YSZ 40/60 Redox-Tolerant

99% – 99.7%

Lower Ni loading near the percolation threshold; improved resistance to redox cycling and thermal shock

NiO-YSZ Fine/Submicron (functional layer)

99.5% – 99.9%

D50 < 1 um for thin anode functional layers; maximises TPB density adjacent to the electrolyte

NiO-YSZ Coarse/Spray-Dried (support layer)

99% – 99.5%

D50 2-5 um, agglomerated for plasma spraying or tape casting of thicker anode-support layers

Industry	Application	Function
Automotive & Stationary Fuel Cells	SOFC anode-supported and electrolyte-supported cells	Reduces to Ni-YSZ cermet providing fuel electro-oxidation catalysis and current collection
Hydrogen Energy	Solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC) for hydrogen production	Fuel electrode enabling steam reduction to hydrogen in reverse-SOFC operation
Industrial Gas Processing	Internal reforming of syngas, biogas, and natural gas	Nickel catalyses CH4/CO reforming and water-gas-shift reactions at the anode
Sensors	High-temperature electrochemical oxygen and combustible-gas sensors	YSZ ionic conduction paired with a Ni-based electrode enables mixed-potential sensing
Materials R&D	Anode microstructure, percolation, and triple-phase-boundary studies	Serves as a model composite system for percolation theory and redox-cycling research
Ceramics Manufacturing	Tape casting and co-sintering with YSZ electrolyte layers	Powder feedstock formulated for shrinkage matching during green-body co-firing

Industry

Application

Function

Automotive & Stationary Fuel Cells

SOFC anode-supported and electrolyte-supported cells

Reduces to Ni-YSZ cermet providing fuel electro-oxidation catalysis and current collection

Hydrogen Energy

Solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC) for hydrogen production

Fuel electrode enabling steam reduction to hydrogen in reverse-SOFC operation

Industrial Gas Processing

Internal reforming of syngas, biogas, and natural gas

Nickel catalyses CH4/CO reforming and water-gas-shift reactions at the anode