Effect of Pr6O11 addition on the electrical properties of Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 electrolyte materials for solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

Sm[Formula: see text]Ce[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] (SDC) solid electrolyte powder for solid oxide fuel cells was prepared by sol-gel method, and Pr6O[Formula: see text] was added to improve the electrochemical performance. The effect of Pr6O[Formula: see text] addition on the electrical properties was studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirmed that the structure of SDC and Pr6O[Formula: see text] does not change, the two materials still maintain their original structure in Pr6O[Formula: see text]-Sm[Formula: see text]Ce[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] composite. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that the Pr6O[Formula: see text]-Sm[Formula: see text]Ce[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] composite exhibits superior sintering activity and can form a dense ceramic structure after sintering at 1250∘C. The electrochemical performance of the electrolyte was tested in air using AC impedance technique in the temperature range of 500–650∘C. The results showed that the conductivity of Sm[Formula: see text]Ce[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] can significantly increase by adding the right amount of Pr6O[Formula: see text], and the highest conductivity of 0.053 S/cm can be seen in the 15% Pr-SDC sample at 650∘C. In conclusion, the Pr6O[Formula: see text]/Sm[Formula: see text]Ce[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] composite electrolyte shows a promising prospect as an electrolyte material for medium or low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells due to its excellent electrical properties.