Near Surface Studies on the Role of Graphene Oxide in the Carbon Species Activities in IT-SOFC Cathode Materials

Abstract

Active roles of carbon species in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathode was simulated by adding graphene oxide (GO) into Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.2Fe0.8 (BSCF) materials prepared by sol-gel method. The mixture was heated up to intermediate temperature SOFC range (650 - 850°C) for a period of 5 hours. A depth-profiling measurement by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique was carried out to analyse the carbon species activities at near surface of BSCF cathode. A depth-profiling analysis indicated that the graphene oxide bond components are retained under the cathode surface and does not affected the formation of carbonate phases in BSCF cathode.