Performance evaluation of La0.4Sr0.6Co0.2Fe0.7Nb0.1O3−δ as both anode and cathode material in solid oxide fuel cells

• The polarization resistances of symmetrical cell with LSCFN have 0.22 Ω cm2 at 850 °C.
• Symmetrical cells with LSCFN electrode have achieved 500 mW cm−2 at 850 °C.
• LSCFN could be a promising candidate as electrode material of symmetric fuel cells.

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) has experienced a growing interest in the last few decades because of generating energy more efficiently than the conventional combustion of fossil fuels. By using the same material as anode and cathode of SOFC (symmetric fuel cell), the production of reliable and repeatable cells would be simpler. In this work, La0.4Sr0.6Co0.2Fe0.7Nb0.1O3−δ (LSCFN) perovskite has been prepared and evaluated as both cathode and anode material of symmetric fuel cell. The results of symmetric fuel cell show that a maximum peak power density of 500 mW cm−2 has been achieved and the total electrode polarization resistances of the cell is only 0.22 Ω cm2 at 850 °C which is much lower than that of typical symmetric fuel cell with La0.75Sr0.25Cr0.5Mn0.5O3−δ as electrode material. All of these results indicate that LSCFN can potentially be a promising candidate for the electrode material of symmetric fuel cell.