Architecture-enabled 3D-Printed ultrathin electrolyte-supported solid oxide cells

SOCs are highly efficient energy conversion devices capable of operating both as fuel cells for power generation and as electrolysis cells for energy storage. In electrolyte-supported configurations, reducing the electrolyte thickness is a key strategy to minimize ohmic losses and enhance performance; yet, this approach is severely constrained by mechanical stability and scalability when using conventional ceramic processing routes. Recent advances in ceramic 3D printing offer a promising alternative, enabling the production of ESCs; however, current approaches still present limitations in achieving self-supported electrolytes below 150 μm, thereby constraining the final cell performance. Here, stereolithography-based ceramic 3D printing is employed to fabricate ultrathin, self-supported 3 YSZ electrolytes with thicknesses down to 35 μm at the button-cell scale. Importantly, introducing a rib-patterned architecture enables successful scale-up to 25 cm2 active-area cells with a mean electrolyte thickness below 70 μm, achieving a peak power output of 5 W in SOFC mode and a total injected current of −10 A in SOEC mode at 900 °C. These results demonstrate that ceramic 3D printing, combined with architecture-enabled mechanical stabilization, provides a viable and scalable route toward high-performance electrolyte-supported solid oxide cells, achieving electrolyte thicknesses and performances comparable to conventional technologies while offering unprecedented design flexibility.