Fabrication and characterization of ceria-based buffer layers for solid oxide fuel cells

• 10CGO was prepared in a fast, 15 min., one-step combustion synthesis.
• Design of a procedure able to bestow the desired microstructure on 10CGO.
• A symmetrical cell, with 10CGO as buffer, was prepared with a good interface between layers.
• The 10CGO used as buffer layer reduces drastically the cathode electrode resistance.

Ce0.9Gd0.1O2−δ (10CGO) is a promising candidate as buffer layer for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). Combustion synthesis is a suitable synthesis method for the production, at low temperatures, of fine and reactive powders for both electrodes, and CGO electrolyte. In this study, different fuels have been considered for the synthesis (urea, sucrose, citric acid) of the buffer layer based on CGO powders. These powders have been processed to obtain symmetrical cells that allow the electrochemical characterization of its interface. By means of XRD and SEM-EDX techniques, the structural, microstructural and compositional behaviour of the as-prepared powders, compacts and half-cells have been studied.