A promising cathode for intermediate temperature protonic ceramic fuelcells: BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.2O3−δ
By Shang, Meng; Tong, Jianhua & O{' Hayre, Ryan
Published in RSC Adv.
The Royal Society of Chemistry
2013
Abstract
In this study, BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.2O3-[small delta] (BCFZ), which has been previously investigated as a stable oxygen permeable membrane material, is confirmed to be a promising cathode for intermediate temperature protonic ceramic fuel cells (IT-PCFCs). BCFZ shows lower electrode polarization resistances, longer performance stability, and better compatibility with the state of the art protonic ceramic electrolyte BaCe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1Yb0.1O3-[small delta] (BCZYYb) than the prevailing cathode La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-[small delta] (LSCF). The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) mechanism and the reaction kinetics are also investigated in detail. A single cell constructed from the BCFZ cathode with a BCZYYb electrolyte and BCZYYb-Ni anode demonstrates a power density of 225 mW cm-2 at 600 [degree]C, which is [similar]20 times greater than a single cell constructed from an LSCF cathode with the same electrolyte and anode under the same operating conditions.