contacting elements are assembled the alcohol solution evaporates and the binder joins the contacting surfaces a complete msofc 10 can be assembled by repetitive stacking a number of the elements for example over two hundred cells the stacked assembly is then heat treated preferably in a furnace or microwave oven 108 operating at temperatures of 1000 u00b0 1400 u00b0 c to sinter and densify the ceramics by way of example the assembly is heated at ramp rates of 10 u00b0 50 u00b0 c per hour to 1200 u00b0 c the temperature is maintained at 1200 u00b0 c for 1 hour and then the assembly is allowed to gradually cool down microwave heating is preferably carried out at a frequency of twenty eight giga hertz in this heat treating procedure the organics and volatile components are burned out or outgassed and the component materials anode cathode electrolyte interconnect and gasket are sintered to bond adjacent contacting surfaces the top plate 26 and bottom plate 28 are attached either before or after the heat treating process alternatively the process of joining the green state elements may be limited to less than ten complete cell units 58 or only single electrolyte elements 42 and the two gaskets 40 on opposite sides thereof may be assembled in the green state the elements are then heat treated according to the following two step process the respective elements or limited height stacks of elements are partially heat treated preferably in a furnace or microwave oven 108 by any one or a combination of radiant convective or microwave heating to a temperature sufficient to sinter the respective anode electrolyte cathode and interconnect ceramics during this heating process the respective ceramic materials are preferably sintered to between twenty five percent to one hundred percent of their desired final.