Preparation of Mesoporous La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 Infiltrated Coatings in Porous SOFC Cathodes Using Evaporation-Induced Self-Assembly Methods

Abstract

We used evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) methods to infiltrate solid oxide fuel cell cathodes with La0.8Sr0.2MnO3. A single infiltration step using an EISA solution was found to generate thin catalyst coatings through the entire thicknesses of 75 - 750 μm thick porous media, including Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ), La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 (LSM), and La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 (LSCF). After multiple infiltration and calcination steps, the LSM particles in LSCF cathodes of commercial button cells coated the pores as thin layers through the thickness with a slight increase in the concentration at the functional layer near the electrolyte / cathode boundary. The infiltrated La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 coatings were examined using transmission electron microscope (TEM) and were shown to be mesoporous, indicating that the nanostructure of electrocatalytic coatings can be tailored using this approach.