Optimisation and Evaluation of La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-δ Cathode for Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

In this work, La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-delta/Ce1-delta Gd2O2-delta (LSC/GDC) composite cathodes are investigated for SOFC application at intermediate temperatures, especially below 700 degrees C. The symmetrical cells are prepared by spraying LSC/GDC composite cathodes on a GDC tape, and the lowest polarisation resistance (R-p) of 0.11 Omega cm(2) at 700 degrees C is obtained for the cathode containing 30 wt.-% GDC. For the application on YSZ electrolyte, symmetrical LSC cathodes are fabricated on a YSZ tape coated on a GDC interlayer. The impact of the sintering temperature on the microstructure and electrochemical properties is investigated. The optimum temperature is determined to be 950 degrees C; the corresponding R-p of 0.24 Omega cm(2) at 600 degrees C and 0.06 Omega cm(2) at 700 degrees C are achieved, respectively An YSZ-based anode-supported solid oxide fuel cell is fabricated by employing LSC/GDC composite cathode sintered at 950 degrees C The cell with an active electrode area of 4 x 4 cm(2) exhibits the maximum power density of 0.42 W cm(-2) at 650 degrees C and 0.54 W cm(-2) at 700 degrees C. More than 300 h operating at 650 degrees C is carried out for an estimate of performance and degradation of a single cell Despite a decline at the beginning, the stable performance during the later term suggests a potential application.