In-Operando XRD Study of the Effects of Water Vapor on Phase Formation in LSM/YSZ SOFC Cathodes

Abstract

In-operando XRD was conducted on anode supported SOFC button cells with LSM-YSZ cathodes operated at varying cathode air compositions under constant current conditions for over 1000 h. 1-hour XRD scans were continuously collected throughout the entire operation duration. By taking the sum of measured intensities from all of the collected patterns, the resulting cumulative XRD count times allowed the identification of minor phases present at concentrations as low as <0.1 wt%. In dry air with no contaminants, the cathode exhibited improving power output during the first couple of hundred hours, followed by stable operation. The effect of 3% H2O + 12% CO2 on the LSM-YSZ cathode was very similar to the effect of 3% H2O alone, exhibiting performance degradation. Increasing contaminants in the cathode air were found to decrease the performance of the cells. In-operando XRD discovered an increase in MnO concentration and decrease in La2O3. A gradual expansion of the LSM lattice resulting from loss of Sr or O was discovered in the LSM/YSZ cathodes tested in humid cathode air. The inverse relationship between the unit cell volume and operating voltage suggests a possible correlation between Sr segregation and performance degradation in the LSM/YSZ cathodes.