A new cobalt-free proton-blocking composite cathode La2NiO4+δ–LaNi0.6Fe0.4O3−δ for BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.2O3−δ-based solid oxide fuel cells

• Series of LNO–LNF composites were firstly evaluated as cathodes for H-SOFC.
• The electrical conductivity of LNO–LNF73 reaches 99.2 S cm−1 at 650 °C.
• LNO–LNF73 is the most optimized combination among all composite cathodes.
• At 700 °C, the cell with LNO–LNF73 showed the highest MPD of 590 mW cm−2.

Series of proton-blocking La2NiO4+δ (LNO)–LaNi0.6Fe0.4O3−δ (LNF) (1:0, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7, 0:1 wt.%) composites were evaluated as cathodes for BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.2O3−δ (BZCY)-based proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cell (H-SOFC). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show a good chemical compatibility for each composition below 1100 °C. Electrochemical studies reveal that LNO–LNF73 shows the lowest area specific polarization resistance in symmetrical cells and the best electrochemical performance in single cell tests with the highest maximum power density (MPD) and the lowest interfacial polarization resistance (Rp). These results corroborate the electrical conductivity analysis. The single cell with LNO–LNF73 as cathode outputs the MPD of 590 mW cm−2 and the Rp of 0.091 Ω cm2 at 700 °C. This work confirms that LNO–LNF73 composite material could be a promising cathode for H-SOFC.