Microstructural Property Investigation of LSM-4Sc4YSZ Novel Composite Electrode Prepared Using All-Alkoxide Sol-Gel and Solid-State Reaction Methods for Solid Oxide Electrochemical Cells

Abstract

Property investigation of co-doped 4 mol% scandia and 4 mol% yttria zirconia (Sc0.08Y0.08Zr0.84O1.92 or 4Sc4YSZ) synthesized via solid-state reaction (SSR) and all-alkoxide sol-gel (SG) method as precursor powders with LSM as composite electrode was conducted. The microstructure and morphology of the precursor powders and resulting LSM-4Sc4YSZ bulk composite electrodes were characterized. The results revealed that the 4Sc4YSZ was successfully synthesized via SG with more distinct cubic phases and finer particles than 4Sc4YSZ prepared via SSR. A more homogeneous and uniform distribution for LSM-4Sc4YSZ SG was also observed with a porosity of 30.65%. Moreover, using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), the LSM-4Sc4YSZ SG revealed a total conductivity of 0.158 S/cm at 700 °C with an activation energy of 0.018 eV.