Effect of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Concentration in an Electroless Bath on Microstructure and Composition of Ni/Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Nanocomposite

The effect of the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) nanoparticle loading in an electro-less bath was considered as one of the vital synthesis variables for control Ni content and microstructure of prepared nanocomposite particles, which are two crucial factors to achieving high-performance SOFC anode. Nanocomposite particles were prepared using a simple electroless method without any expensive pretreatment of sensitizing by Sn2+ ions as well as activating by Pd2+ ions that are usually used to apply nickel coating on the surface of a non-conductive substrate. The process was performed by adding YSZ nanoparticles into NaOH solution, separating them from the solution by the centrifugal method, then providing several water-based nanofluids with different concentrations of activated YSZ nanoparticles, mixing them with NiCI2 solution, followed by adding the hydrazine and then NaOH solution. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray analysis were used to analyze the prepared nanocomposite particles. It is observed that after adding YSZ nanoparticles into the NaOH solution, the pH of the solution varied gradually from a starting pH of 10.2 to 9. Also, by increasing the YSZ nanoparticles loading in the electroless bath from 76 mg/l to 126 mg/l, the grain size of Ni deposits, the Ni content and the average size of the prepared nanocomposite particles decreased. The electrochemical mechanism previously proposed for the nickel ion reduction was modified, and a novel analytical model was proposed for variation of the efficiency of Ni deposition with YSZ nanoparticles loading.