Pr2Ni0.8Co0.2O4+δ impregnated La0.6Sr0.4CoO3−δ oxygen electrode for efficient CO2 electroreduction in solid oxide electrolysis cells

Abstract

The solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is an advanced electrochemical device with a promising future in reducing CO₂ emissions. Currently, the insufficient oxygen evolution reaction activity in conventional anode materials severely restricts the development of electrolytic CO₂. Herein, the PNCO–LSC composite oxygen electrode was exploited by impregnating Pr₂Ni_0.8Co_0.2O_4+δ (PNCO) on the surface of La_0.6Sr_0.4CoO_3−δ (LSC) oxygen electrode. The results of electrochemical tests and various physicochemical characterizations indicate that the infiltration of PNCO can lead to a significant improvement in the performance of the cell for CO₂ electroreduction by increasing the surface oxygen exchange. The current density of the PNCO–LSC oxygen electrode infiltrated twice at 800 °C and 1.5 V reaches 0.917 A cm⁻², which is about 40% higher than that of the bare LSC oxygen electrode. In addition, the single cell did not show significant degradation in a long-term stability test at a current density of 0.4 A cm⁻² for 100 h of electrolysis. Therefore, the PNCO–LSC composite oxygen electrode material is effective in enhancing electrolytic CO₂ performance.