High performance La3Ni2O7 cathode prepared by a facile sol–gel method for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

La3Ni2O7 oxide has been synthesized by a facile sol–gel method using a nonionic surfactant (EO)106(PO)70(EO)106 tri-block copolymer (Pluronic F127) as the chelating agent. The pure phase of La3Ni2O7 has been obtained by sintering at temperatures of 1100 °C for 12 h. La3Ni2O7 oxide as a cathode presents no visible reaction with an Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) electrolyte. The electrochemical performance of the prepared oxide as a cathode has been investigated. Area specific resistance of La3Ni2O7 material on YSZ electrolyte is as low as 0.39 Ω cm2 at 750 °C. Furthermore, an anode-supported single-cell configuration of NiO–YSZ/YSZ/La3Ni2O7 has been achieved a maximum power density of 848 mW cm− 2 at 750 °C. The cell performance was stable under a constant current of 0.6 A cm− 2 for over 30 h at 750 °C. These results therefore suggest that La3Ni2O7 synthesized by this sol–gel method is a highly promising cathode material for applications in IT-SOFCs.

► A facile sol–gel route to synthesize pure-phase well-crystallized La3Ni2O7 oxide.
► The prepared La3Ni2O7 cathode shows low ASR of 0.39 Ω cm2 and outstanding power output of 848 mW cm− 2 at 750 °C.
► We trust that La3Ni2O7 synthesized by this sol–gel method is a highly promising cathode material for application in IT-SOFCs.