Issue 22, 2018

A novel in situ diffusion strategy to fabricate high performance cathodes for low temperature proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

Developing new low-cost high-performance cobalt-free cathode materials for low temperature proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (H-SOFCs) has been an imperative topic. In response to this challenge, we herein develop a novel in situ Pr diffusion strategy based on a Sm0.2Ce0.8O2−δ–Pr(Pr0.5Ba1.5)Cu3O7−δ (SDC–PBCu, 3 : 7 wt%) compound, to achieve a perovskite-related proton-blocking composite cathode (PBCC) Ce1−xPrxO2−δ–Ba2CeCu3O7.4–Sm2Ba1.33Ce0.67Cu3O9–CuO (PDC–BCC–SBCC–CuO) for BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.2O3−δ-based H-SOFCs. The single cell achieves a remarkable performance with a maximum power density (MPD) of 1000 and 566 mW cm−2, corresponding to the interfacial polarization resistance (RP) of 0.037 and 0.188 Ω cm2 at 700 and 600 °C, respectively. The XRD results demonstrate that the PBCu phase disappears after the calcination of the mixed SDC–PBCu composite powder at 900 °C, with the formation of four new phases including fluorite structured PDC, orthorhombic layered material BCC, tetragonal perovskite-related SBCC and a small quantity of metallic oxide CuO, being favorable for a superior cathode performance. The ascendant electrochemical performance including the very high MPD and the lower RP obtained here indicate that the quaternary cobalt-free PBCC PDC–BCC–SBCC–CuO is a preferable alternative for high-performance low-temperature H-SOFCs.

Graphical abstract: A novel in situ diffusion strategy to fabricate high performance cathodes for low temperature proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
26 Jan 2018
Accepted
22 Apr 2018
First published
24 Apr 2018

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2018,6, 10411-10420

A novel in situ diffusion strategy to fabricate high performance cathodes for low temperature proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells

J. Hou, L. Miao, J. Hui, L. Bi, W. Liu and J. T. S. Irvine, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2018, 6, 10411 DOI: 10.1039/C8TA00859K

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