A reduced temperature solid oxide fuel cell with three-dimensionally ordered macroporous cathode

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous cathode was fabricated for a zirconia based micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Three different cathodes (cathode A, no pore former; cathode B, with pore former (1.5 μm in diameter); cathode C, with pore former (0.8 μm in diameter)) were compared to investigate how the microstructure of it affected the cell performance at various operating temperatures. Micro-sized pores were well distributed within cathode B and C. The total porosity of cathode A is 35%, while it respectively reached 42 and 50% for cathodes B and C. At the same time, the specific surface area of them was 28.8 and 52.0% larger than that of the cathode A. As a result, the peak power density of the zirconia based cell, with cathode C, was 0.25 and 0.56 W cm−2 at 550 and 600 °C, while the respective value was just 0.11 and 0.30 W cm−2 for the cell with cathode A. Thus, optimizing microstructure of cathode should be one of the best approaches for lowering the operating temperature for SOFCs.

► Macroporous LSCF cathode was fabricated on micro-tubular anode support.
► The cathode porosity reach as high as 50% sintering at 1050 °C.
►  Micro-sized pores were well distributed within cathode.
► The power performance was significantly improved at low operating temperatures.