Insight into the structure and functional application of the Sr0.95Ce0.05CoO3-δ cathode for solid oxide fuel cells

A new perovskite cathode, Sr0.95Ce0.05CoO3-δ, performs well for oxygen-reduction reactions in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). We gain insight into the crystal structure of Sr1-xCexCoO3-δ (x = 0.05, 0.1) and temperature-dependent structural evolution of Sr0.95Ce0.05CoO3-δ by X-ray diffraction, neutron powder diffraction, and scanning transmission electron microscopy experiments. Sr0.9Ce0.1CoO3-δ shows a perfectly cubic structure (a = a0), with a large oxygen deficiency in a single oxygen site; however, Sr0.95Ce0.05CoO3-δ exhibits a tetragonal perovskite superstructure with a double c axis, defined in the P4/mmm space group, that contains two crystallographically different cobalt positions, with distinct oxygen environments. The structural evolution of Sr0.95Ce0.05CoO3-δ at high temperatures was further studied by in situ temperature-dependent NPD experiments. At 1100 K, the oxygen atoms in Sr0.95Ce0.05CoO3-δ show large and highly anisotropic displacement factors, suggesting a significant ionic mobility. The test cell with a La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.83Mg0.17O3-δ-electrolyte-supported (∼300 μm thickness) configuration yields peak power densities of 0.25 and 0.48 W cm(-2) at temperatures of 1023 and 1073 K, respectively, with pure H2 as the fuel and ambient air as the oxidant. The electrochemical impedance spectra evolution with time of the symmetric cathode fuel cell measured at 1073 K shows that the Sr0.95Ce0.05CoO3-δ cathode possesses superior ORR catalytic activity and long-term stability. Mixed ionic-electronic conduction properties of Sr0.95Ce0.05CoO3-δ account for its good performance as an oxygen-reduction catalyst.