A method for the densification of ceramic layers, especially ceramic layers within solid oxide cell (SOC) technology, and products obtained by the method

A ceramic layer, especially for use in solid oxide cell (SOC) technology, is densified in a method comprising (a) providing a multilayer system by depositing the porous ceramic layer, which is to be densified, onto the selected system of ceramic layers on a support, (b) pre-sintering the resulting multilayer system at a temperature T1 to consolidate a sintered, but porous layer, (c) impregnating a solution or suspension of one or more sintering aids directly into the layer to be densified, (d) evaporating the solution or suspension of step (c) to obtain a homogeneous dispersion of the sintering aid(s) in the porous layer surface and (e) performing a thermal treatment at a temperature T2, where T2 > ?1, to obtain densification of and grain growth in the porous layer formed in step (b). The method makes it possible to obtain dense ceramic layers at temperatures, which are compatible with the other materials present in a ceramic multilayer system.