Validation of the Simple Infiltrated Microstructure Polarization Loss Estimation (SIMPLE) Model Using Single Layer, Nanocomposite Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-x - Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes

Abstract

Single-layer nano-composite Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-x (SSC) - Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 (GDC) Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) cathodes with various SSC loading levels were prepared through multiple nitrate solution infiltrations. Microstructural analyses indicated that the average infiltrate hemispherical particle radius remained roughly constant, at 25nm, across multiple infiltrate-gel-800oC fire sequences. Symmetric cell polarization resistance measurements of cathode performance showed that the Simple Infiltrated Microstructure Polarization Loss Estimation (SIMPLE) model, which accounts for electrical losses associated with surface oxygen incorporation and bulk oxygen transport, was able to predict the performance of heavily infiltrated cathodes to within 55% (without the use of fitting parameters) at all temperatures from 400-700oC. Results also indicate that electronic conduction losses limited the overall cathode performance at low and medium SSC infiltrate loading levels.