Zr and Y co-doped perovskite as a stable, high performance cathode for solid oxide fuel cells operating below 500 °C

Zr and Y co-doped perovskite BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.1Y0.1O3-delta (BCFZY0.1) was recently developed as a promising new cathode for protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs). Here, it is applied for the first time as a cathode for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs). It exhibits large lattice parameters, high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity, exceptional low-temperature performance, long-term stability, and excellent chemical compatability with ceria-based SOFC electrolytes. When BCFZY0.1 is used as the cathode in Ce0.8Gd0.2O2-delta (GDC20)-based SOFCs, it enables a peak power density of 0.97 W cm(-2) at 500 degrees C with 2500 hours stable performance and complete recoverability without any degradation after more than 80 fast thermal ramping cycles. Even at 350 degrees C, peak power density reaches 0.13 W cm(-2). It also shows good H2O and CO2 tolerance.