Foreword

This fascinating e-book clusters contributions from researchers who have dedicated the last years of their carrier to study materials, manufacturing processes and characterization techniques applied to the development of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). These electrochemical devices that convert chemical energy into electricity are promising alternatives to traditional mobile and stationary power sources. Among their many advantages deserve special attention the high energy conversion efficiency and the excellent fuel flexibility. The development of high-performance functional SOFC is an important step towards reducing the operating temperature to 500 – 750 °C or lower. By doing this, the cell components can be easily and cost-efficiently produced. With this in mind, recent research around the world has focused on novel synthesis methods and processing routes to develop high performance components and single cells operating at reduced temperatures.

I am sure that this e-book reviews how processing conditions affect both microstructure and performance of functional SOFC materials.