# Ni coarsening in the three-phase solid oxide fuel cell anode - a phase-field simulation study Source: [Ni coarsening in the three-phase solid oxide fuel cell anode - a phase-field simulation study]() Collection index: [llms.txt]() Data updated: 2025-10-27T03:16:15.684Z Authors: Hsun-Yi Chen, Hui-Chia Yu, J. Scott Cronin, James R. Wilson, Scott A. Barnett, Katsuyo Thornton Published: 2012-01-07T15:17:42.000Z ## Abstract Ni coarsening in Ni-yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) solid oxide fuel cell anodes is considered a major reason for anode degradation. We present a predictive, quantative modeling framework based on the phase-field approach to systematically examine coarsening kinetics in such anodes. The initial structures for simulations are experimentally acquired functional layers of anodes. Sample size effects and error analysis of contact angles are examined. Three phase boundary (TPB) lengths and Ni surface areas are quantatively identified on the basis of the active, dead-end, and isolated phase clusters throughout coarsening. Tortuosity evolution of the pores is also investigated. We find that phase clusters with larger characteristic length evolve slower than those with smaller length scales. As a result, coarsening has small positive effects on transport, and impacts less on the active Ni surface area than the total counter part. TPBs, however, are found to be sensitive to local morphological features and are only indirectly correlated to the evolution kinetics of the Ni phase. ## Recorded benchmark results A research result applies to its stated dataset, split, metric and evaluation configuration. Compare like-for-like settings, preserve the metric's unit and direction, and distinguish paper-reported results from independent reproduction. The best result recorded here is not a claim of exhaustive, current global coverage. ## Original sources and implementation [Original paper]() [PDF]()