Carbonate-Based Lanthanum Strontium Cobalt Ferrite (LSCF)–Samarium-Doped Ceria (SDC) Composite Cathode for Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Abstract

Perovskite-based composite cathodes, La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ (LSCF)–Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9-carbonate (SDCC), were investigated as cathode materials for low-temperature solid-oxide fuel cells. The LSCF was mixed with the SDC–carbonate (SDCC) composite electrolyte at different weight percentages (i.e., 30, 40, and 50 wt %) to prepare the LSCF–SDCC composite cathode. The effect of SDCC composite electrolyte content on the diffraction pattern, microstructure, specific surface area, and electrochemical performances of the LSCF–SDCC composite cathode were evaluated. The XRD pattern revealed that the SDCC phase diffraction peaks vary according to its increasing addition to the system. The introduction of SDCCs within the composite cathode did not change the LSCF phase structure and its specific surface area. However, the electrical performance of the realized cell drastically changed with the increase of the SDCC content in the LSCF microstructure. This drastic change can be ascribed to the poor in-plane electronic conduction at the surface of the LSCF cathode layer due to the presence of the insulating phase of SDC and molten carbonate. Among the cathodes investigated, LSCF–30SDCC showed the best cell performance, exhibiting a power density value of 60.3–75.4 mW/cm2 at 600 °C to 650 °C.

Performance Enhancement of Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9-Supported SOFC by Electrophoretic Formation of Modifying BaCe0.8Sm0.2O3 and Ce0.8Sm0.1Pr0.1O1.9 Layers

“…La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Fe 0.8 Co 0.2 O 3−δ (LSFC) is the most often used in SOFCs with doped CeO 2 electrolyte membranes due to its high conductivity and excellent electro-catalytic activity to ORR in the IT-range [52,53]. It is generally accepted that the electrochemical performance of LSFC can be further improved by mixing the cathode material with an electrolyte [35,54,55]. Recently, Pikalova et al reported on the possibility of the additional activation of the composite electrodes using CuO and Bi 2 O 3 -Er(Y) 2 O 3 additives [32,56].…”