Ionics

, Volume 21, Issue 10, pp 2805–2814 | Cite as

Improved overall properties in La1–x Ca x Fe0.8Cr0.2O3–δ as cathode for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

  • Jing Xiao
  • Qing Xu
  • Min Chen
  • Kai Zhao
  • Bok-Hee Kim
Original Paper
First Online:
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:

Abstract

The electrical conducting, thermal expansion, and electrochemical properties of La1–x Ca x Fe0.8Cr0.2O3–δ (x = 0.5–0.7) were examined in view of cathode utilization for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells. The electrical conductivities at elevated temperatures were slightly decreased with increasing Ca2+ content whereas the thermal expansion properties were evidently modified. La0.3Ca0.7Fe0.8Cr0.2O3–δ was determined to be the optimal composition, displaying a thermal expansion coefficient of 11.6 × 10−6 K−1 between 40 and 1000 °C and an electrical conductivity of 43 S cm−1 at 800 °C in air. Moreover, La0.3Ca0.7Fe0.8Cr0.2O3–δ showed a high catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction. At 800 °C, La0.3Ca0.7Fe0.8Cr0.2O3–δ cathode exhibited a polarization resistance of 0.13 Ω cm2, an overpotential of 21 mV at 200 mA cm−2 and an exchange current density of 330 mA cm−2. An anode-supported single cell with La0.3Ca0.7Fe0.8Cr0.2O3–δ cathode achieved a maximum power density of 945 mW cm−2 at 800 °C in hydrogen fuel.

Keywords

Cathodes Mixed conductors Perovskites Electrochemical characterizations SOFCs 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the International Cooperation Programs of Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Department (No. 2012IHA01001), Wuhan Science and Technology Bureau (No. 2014030709020315), and the Leaders Industry-university Cooperation Project granted by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST).

References

  1. 1.
    Minh NQ (1993) Ceramic fuel cells. J Am Ceram Soc 76:563–588CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. 2.
    Alder SB (2004) Factors governing oxygen reduction in solid oxide fuel cell cathodes. Chem Rev 104:4791–4843CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. 3.
    Kostogloudis GC, Ftikos C (1999) Properties of A-site-deficient La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3–δ-based perovskite oxides. Solid State Ionics 126:143–151CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. 4.
    Petric A, Huang P, Tietz F (2000) Evaluation of La–Sr–Co–Fe–O perovskites for solid oxide fuel cells and gas separation membranes. Solid State Ionics 135:719–725CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. 5.
    Tai LW, Nasrallah MM, Anderson HU, Sparlin DM, Sehlin SR (1995) Structure and electrical properties of La1–xSrxCo1–yFeyO3. Part 1. The system La0.8Sr0.2Co1–yFeyO3. Solid State Ionics 76:259–271CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. 6.
    Tai LW, Nasrallah MM, Anderson HU, Sparlin DM, Sehlin SR (1995) Structure and electrical properties of La1–xSrxCo1–yFeyO3. Part 2. The system La1–xSrxCo0.2Fe0.8O3. Solid State Ionics 76:273–283CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. 7.
    Kharton VV, Viskup AP, Naumovich EN, Marques FMB (1999) Oxygen ion transport in La2NiO4-based ceramics. J Mater Chem 9:2623–2629CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. 8.
    Xia CR, Rauch W, Chen FL, Liu ML (2002) Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3 cathodes for low-temperature SOFCs. Solid State Ionics 149:11–19CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. 9.
    Shao ZP, Haile SM (2004) A high-performance cathode for the next generation of solid-oxide fuel cells. Nature 43:170–173CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. 10.
    Liu Q, Dong XH, Xiao GL, Zhao F, Chen FL (2010) A Novel Electrode Material for Symmetrical SOFCs. Adv Mater 22:5478–5482CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. 11.
    Chen M, Paulson S, Thangadurai V, Birss V (2013) Sr-rich chromium ferrites as symmetrical solid oxide fuel cell electrodes. J Power Sources 236:68–79CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. 12.
    Riza F, Ftikos C, Tietz F, Fischer W (2001) Preparation and characterization of Ln0.8Sr0.2Co0.8Fe0.2O3–x (Ln=La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd). J Eur Ceram Soc 21:1769–1773CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. 13.
    Xu Q, Huang DP, Chen W, Zhang F, Wang BT (2007) Structure, electrical conducting and thermal expansion properties of Ln0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm) perovskite-type complex oxides. J Alloys Compd 429:34–39CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. 14.
    Chen M, Kim BH, Xu Q, Ahn BK, Kang WJ, Huang DP (2009) Synthesis and electrical properties of Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 ceramics for IT-SOFC electrolytes by urea-combustion technique. Ceram Int 35:1335–1343CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. 15.
    Zhao K, Xu Q, Huang DP, Chen M, Kim BH (2012) Electrochemical evaluation of La2NiO4+δ-based composite electrodes screen-printed on Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 electrolyte. J Solid State Electrochem 16:2797–2804CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. 16.
    Zhao K, Xu Q, Huang DP, Chen M, Kim BH (2011) Microstructure and electrode properties of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3–δ spin-coated on Ce0.8Sm0.2O2–δ electrolyte. Ionics 17:247–254CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. 17.
    Zhao K, Lee KS, Chen M, Kim BH, Xu Q, Ahn BG (2013)  Electrochemical performance of a copper-impregnated Ni-Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 anode running on methane. Int J Hydrog Energy 38:3750–3756CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. 18.
    Shannon RD (1976) Revised Effective Ionic Radii and Systematic Studies of Interatomie Distances in Halides and Chaleogenides. Acta Cryst A 32:751–767CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. 19.
    Teraoka Y, Zhang HM, Okamoto K, Yamazoe N (1988) Mixed ionic-electronic conductivity of La1–xSrxCo1–yFeyO3–δ perovskite-type oxides. Mater Res Bull 23:51–58CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. 20.
    Stevenson JW, Armstrong TR, Carneim RD, Pederson LR, Weber WJ (1996) Electrochemical properties of mixed conducting perovskites La1–xMxCo1–yFeyO3–δ (M = Sr, Ba, Ca). J Electrochem Soc 143:2722–2729CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. 21.
    Kharton VV, Yaremchenko AA, Patrakeev MV, Naumovich EN, Marques FMB (2003) Thermal and chemical induced expansion of La0.3Sr0.7(Fe,Ga)O3–δ ceramics. J Eur Ceram Soc 23:1417–1426CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. 22.
    Tietz F (1999) Thermal Expansion of SOFC Materials. Ionics 5:129–139CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. 23.
    Xu Q, Huang DP, Zhang F, Chen W, Chen M, Liu HX (2008) Structure, electrical conducting and thermal expansion properties of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.8Fe0.2O3–δ-Ce0.8Sm0.2O2–δ composite cathodes. J Alloys Compd 454:460–465CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. 24.
    Torrance JB, Lacorre P, Nazzal AI, Ansaldo EJ, Niedermayer C (1992) Systematic study of insulator-metal transitions in perovskites RNiO3 (R=Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu) due to closing of charge-transfer gap. Phys Rev B 45:8209–8212CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. 25.
    Cherif K, Dhahri J, Dhahri E, Oumezzine M, Vincent H (2002) Phase composition, oxidation state and electrical conductivity of SrFe1.5–xCoxOy. J Solid State Chem 163:466–471CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. 26.
    Uhlenbruck S, Tietz F (2004) High-temperature thermal expansion and conductivity of cobaltites: potentials for adaptation of the thermal expansion to the demands for solid oxide fuel cells. Mater Sci Eng B 107:277–282CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. 27.
    Mauvy F, Lalanne C, Bassat JM, Grenier JC, Zhao H, Huo L, Stevens P (2006) Electrode properties of Ln2NiO4 + δ  ( Ln = La ,  Nd ,  Pr ) AC Impedance and DC Polarization Studies. J Electrochem Soc 153:A1547–A1553CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. 28.
    Chen D, Ran R, Zhang K, Wang J, Shao Z (2009) Intermediate-temperature electrochemical performance of a polycrystalline PrBaCo2O5+δ cathode on samarium-doped ceria electrolyte. J Power Sources 188:96–105CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  29. 29.
    Shao J, Hansen KK (2013) Enhancement of NOx removal performance for (La0.85Sr0.15)0.99MnO3/Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 electrochemical cells by NOx storage/reduction adsorption layers. Electrochim Acta 90:482–491CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. 30.
    Kungas R, Kivi I, Lust K, Nurk G, Lust E (2009) Statistical Method to Optimize the Medium Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrode Materials. J Electroanal Chem 629:94–101CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. 31.
    Escudero MJ, Aguadero A, Alonso JA, Daza L (2007) A kinetic study of oxygen reduction reaction on La2NiO4 cathodes by means of impedance spectroscopy. J Electroanal Chem 611:107–116CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. 32.
    Adler SB, Lane JA, Steele BCH (1996) Electrode kinetics of porous mixed-conducting oxygen electrodes. J Electrochem Soc 143:3554–3564CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  33. 33.
    Dusastre V, Kilner JA (1999) Optimisation of composite cathodes for intermediate temperature SOFC applications. Solid State Ionics 126:163–174CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  34. 34.
    Fu CJ, Sun KN, Zhang NQ, Chen XB, Zhou DR (2007) Electrochemical characteristics of LSCF–SDC composite cathode for intermediate temperature SOFC. Electrochim Acta 52:4589–4594CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. 35.
    Chen M, Moon BH, Kim SH, Kim BH, Xu Q, Ahn BG (2012) Characterization of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3–δ + La2NiO4 Composite Cathode Materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. Fuel Cells 12:86–96CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. 36.
    Huang B, Ye XF, Wang SR, Nie HW, Liu RZ, Wen TL (2007) Performance of Ni/ScSZ cermet anode modified by coating with Gd0.2Ce0.8O2 for a SOFC. Mater Res Bull 42:1705–1714CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. 37.
    Boehm E, Bassat JM, Steil MC, Dordor P, Mauvy F, Grenier JC (2003) Oxygen transport properties of La2Ni1−xCuxO4+δ mixed conducting oxides. Solid State Sci 5:973–981CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  38. 38.
    Zhao F, Virkar AV (2005) Dependence of polarization in anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells on various cell parameters. J Power Sources 141:79–95CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  39. 39.
    Barbucci A, Carpanese M, Reverberi AP, Cerisola G, Blanes M, Cabot PL, Viviani M, Bertei A, Nicolella C (2008) Influence of electrode thickness on the performance of composite electrodes for SOFC. J Appl Electrochem 38:939–945CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • Jing Xiao
    • 1
  • Qing Xu
    • 1
  • Min Chen
    • 2
    • 4
  • Kai Zhao
    • 3
  • Bok-Hee Kim
    • 3
  1. 1.School of Materials Science and EngineeringWuhan University of TechnologyWuhanPeople’s Republic of China
  2. 2.Department of ChemistryUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryCanada
  3. 3.Division of Advanced Materials Engineering, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research CenterChonbuk National UniversityJeonjuKorea
  4. 4.Department of ChemistryThe University of OsloOsloNorway

Personalised recommendations