A straightforward and practical method for integrating highly active Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3 into a conventional La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-Gd0.2Ce0.8O2 composite cathode

Abstract

The Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (SSC) material is widely recognized as the most electrochemically active cathode material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). However, due to its poor thermo-mechanical and chemical compatibility with other cell components of the SOFC, it has been challenging to implement it as a cathode material. To address this issue, this study explores various architectural configurations of cathode, including layered and composite type structures, to identify the optimal approach to incorporating SSC material for enhanced SOFC performance. The study reveals that the most effective method of incorporating SSC material is through a mixture with the conventional La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 (LSCF) and Ce0.9Gd0.1O2 (GDC) composite cathode materials. In particular, when the sinterability of GDC is enhanced through the addition of a sintering aid, it exhibits superior adhesion with the neighboring interfaces, which results in the highest performance characteristics while simultaneously maintaining excellent structural stability.