High performance of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 nanoparticulate cathode for intermediate temperature microtubular solid oxide fuel cells

The perovskite La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 (LSCF-GDC) nanoparticulate cathode was applied for microtubular solid oxide fuel cells operated at intermediate temperatures. For the cell with the cathode sintered at 950 degrees C, maximum power densities of 0.26, 0.54 and 0.73 W cm(-2) were obtained at 550, 600 and 650 degrees C, respectively. The ohmic resistance increased for the cathode sintered at 850 degrees C, and the polarization resistance increased for the cathode sintered at 1050 degrees C. The cathode polarization resistances of ionic conduction process in the LSCF bulk and adsorption/desorption process on the LSCF surface were estimated by the distribution of relaxation times analysis, which were only 0.066 and 0.065 Omega cm(2) at 600 degrees C for the cathode sintered at 950 degrees C. The grain size of the cathode was less than 100 nm, which resulted in high performance due to an overall decrease in cathode polarization resistance. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.