Electrochemical and microstructural characterization of polymeric resin-derived multilayered composite cathode for SOFC

The multilayered cathodes of functionally graded microstructure for SOFCs were developed using a polymeric resin as a pore former at the nanometer scale. LSM-YSZ composite layer was placed on the interface between electrode/electrolyte as a reaction active layer, subsequently LSM as an intermediate layer and LSCF as a current collector were deposited by screen printing. The type of the LSM-YSZ composite powders used in the cell fabrication influenced the microstructure of the catalytic bottom layer. Furthermore, the addition of the polymeric resin to the particulate paste permits us to produce a nanoporous electrode of high porosity and surface area after thermal decomposition and crystallization. The electrochemical cell of such a microstructural feature showed a significantly improved electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction. Microstructural evolution and its electrochemical performance of the electrochemical cells with multilayered cathodes were investigated by SEM and impedance spectroscopy.