This study investigates the impact of zinc oxide on the physical characteristics and electrochemical behavior of the LaSrCoFe (LSCF) cathode. Electrochemical impedance spectra in conjunction with the bode phase were used to optimize the amount of zinc oxide addition in the LSCF cathode. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and thermal analysis were utilized to substantiate the electrochemical discovery that the LSCF: ZnO ratio yields rational oxygen reduction reaction and stoichiometric outcomes. Initial characterization, comprising of phase and bonding analyses, indicated that LSCF-ZnO was successfully synthesized at 800 º C using an improved modified sol-gel technique. The addition of 5% zinc oxide to LSCF results in the lowest overall area-specific resistance (ASR) rating. The Bode phase implies that the addition of 5% zinc oxide to LSCF reduces the low-frequency impedance by 64.28%, indicating that the cathode experienced a greater oxygen reduction reaction. After the addition of 5% zinc oxide, a single LSCF-ZnO cell may function at temperatures as low as 650 °C, and the LSCF cathode power density is increased by 25.35%. The surface morphology of the LSCF-ZnO cathode reveals an overall particle size of less than 100 nm, and mapping analysis reveals a homogeneous distribution of ZnO over the cathode layer. Consequently, LSCF-ZnO demonstrated outstanding chemical compatibility between LSCF and ZnO, bonding characteristics, and electrochemical performance with the capacity to function at an intermediate temperature (600 °C -800 °C).

Lanthanum strontium cobalt ferum (LSCF) with addition of copper oxide (CuO) can serve as an alternate cathode material in Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (IT-SOFC) due to its strong catalytic activity for oxygen reduction process at intermediate temperatures and great chemical compatibility. This study was done to determine the viability of LSCF–CuO composite as a material for the IT-SOFC cathode. The cathode powder was synthesised using the conventional solid-state process at intermediate temperatures range (600ºC–900ºC). The thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that when LSCF was calcined at temperatures over 600ºC, the weight loss curve flattened. In the meantime, x-ray diffraction revealed that the perovskite structure of LSCF-CuO was completely formed after calcined at 800ºC. Moreover, the Brunauer– Emmett–Teller (BET) and scanning electron microscope investigations demonstrated that as the calcination temperature rose, the LSCF–CuO particles tended to grow. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy investigation revealed polarisation resistance of samples calcined at 800ºC (0.41 Ωcm2) was significantly lower than that of samples calcined at 600ºC (29.57 Ωcm2). Judging from chemical, physical and electrochemical properties, it is evidence that LSCF-CuO prepared via simple solid-state reaction has a potential to be used as cathode material for IT-SOFC.