Boosting the electrochemical performance of oxygen electrodes via the formation of LSCF-BaCe0.9–xMoxY0.1O3–δ triple conducting composite for solid oxide fuel cells: Part II

This research is the continuation of our previous work, in which we introduced novel proton-conducting electrolytes BaCe0.9–xMoxY0.1O3–δ (BCMxY; x = 0.025, 0.05). In this study, we explore the potential of the proton-conducting BCM0.025Y electrolyte by creating a composite with La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3–δ (LSCF) to form triple conducting electrodes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). The formation of the LSCF-BCM0.025Y composite enhances both the three-phase reaction interface length and the concentration of oxygen vacancies, contributing to improved dissociation rates and enhanced oxygen adsorption. The desired characteristics, including density, structure, composition, electrochemical performance, and thermal stability, have been confirmed through a comprehensive set of analyses including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. The cell configuration of Ni-YSZ | BCZY | LSCF-BCM0.025Y exhibited a remarkable maximum power density (MPD) of 418.7 mW cm−2, which is approximately 29 % higher than that achieved with a typical LSCF cathode (325.6 mW cm−2) at an operating temperature of 600 °C. The outstanding performance and enduring stability of the LSCF-BCM0.025Y composite over a 500 h period demonstrate its potential as a promising cathode material for intermediate-temperature SOFCs.