Oxidation behaviors of 430 ferritic stainless steel under coupling of electrical current and high temperature: quantitative evaluation for SOFC interconnector
摘要
To elucidate the accelerated degradation mechanisms of metallic interconnects in operational solid oxide fuel cells, the oxidation behavior of FSS430 ferritic stainless steel under the coupling of simultaneous electrical current and high-temperature exposure is investigated. Isothermal thermogravimetric analysis was employed to quantify oxidation kinetics, complemented by microstructural characterization using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Experimental results demonstrate that the applied current dramatically enhances oxidation rates, increasing specific mass gain from 0.25 mg/cm2 (0 A/cm2) to 5.20 mg/cm2 (0.2 A/cm2) and oxide scale thickness from 1.87 to 15.62 μm after 200 h. This acceleration originates from current-induced electromigration forces that promote cationic transport through the oxide layer. The quantitative relationships between current density and oxidation parameters are established, enabling predictive modeling of interconnector degradation in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems.