Performance enhancement of strontium-doped lanthanum manganite cathode by developing a highly porous microstructure

A simple and promising template method was applied for the development of a highly porous microstructure, referred to as a macroporous structure (having pore size > 50 nm), for a solid oxide fuel cell strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM) cathode. Using poly(methyl methacrylate) beads of 2.9 mu m size as the pore-forming templates, a porosity value of ca. 63 % was achieved. The electrochemical performance of the developed macroporous cathode was evaluated by measuring electrochemical impedance spectra of the symmetrical cells as well as power density of the full cells. The results indicated that due to enhanced oxygen diffusion and reaction kinetics, the macroporous structure was effective in reducing the interfacial polarization resistance of the LSM cathode and hence attaining a higher cell performance.