Effect of Gd0.2Ce0.8O1.9 nanoparticles on the oxygen evolution reaction of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ anode in solid oxide electrolysis cell

Abstract

La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ (LSCF) anodes were infiltrated by Gd0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (GDC) nanoparticles to improve the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance of solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) in CO2 electroreduction. The effect of GDC loading was investigated, and 10 wt% GDC nanoparticle infiltration of the LSCF (10GDC/LSCF) anode results in the highest OER performance. Electrochemical impedance spectra measurements indicate that the infiltration by GDC nanoparticles greatly decreases the polarization resistance of the SOECs with the 10GDC/LSCF anodes. The following distribution of relaxation time analysis suggests that four individual electrode processes are involved in the OER and that all of them are accelerated on the 10GDC/LSCF anode. Three phase boundaries, surface oxygen vacancies, and bulk oxygen mobility increased, based on scanning electron microscopy and temperature-programmed desorption of O2 characterizations, and contributed to the enhancement of the four electrode processes of the OER and electrochemical performance of SOECs.