Pr2NiO4-Pr0.2Ce0·8O1.9 composite cathode as a potential cathode material for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

A novel Pr2NiO4 (PNO)-Pr0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (PCO) composite material was synthesized by typical solid state mixing and modified sol-gel method, and was assessed as a cathode material candidate for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). The effects of different preparation methods on the microstructure, transport properties, and stability of electrode materials were systematically investigated. It was found that the introduction of PCO enhanced the electrochemical activity of PNO electrode. Among the composite materials, PNO–PCO composite cathode obtained by sol-gel method exhibited the best electrochemical performance. The polarization resistance (RP) on GDC electrolyte was 0.09 Ω cm2 at 800 °C. The NiO-GDC/GDC/PNO–PCO single cell yielded maximum output power of 0.57 W cm−2 at 800 °C. Furthermore, the RP exhibited an excellent stability after polarization for 120 h, indicating the good chemical compatibility of PNO–PCO composite cathode with other cell components. The desirable electrochemical properties and stability of PNO–PCO composite demonstrate its potential as a cathode material for IT-SOFCs.