Conductivity and oxygen reduction activity changes in lanthanum strontium manganite upon low-level chromium substitution

• Possible SOFC cathode degradation upon reaction of Cr with (La,Sr)MnO3 probed.
• (La0.8Sr0.2)0.98CrxMn1-xO3 model series (x = 0−0.1) investigated.
• Electronic conductivity decreased and related activation energy increased with x.
• Ohmic and polarisation resistances increased with x.
• Activation energy for the overall oxygen reduction reaction increased with x.

On the timescale of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system lifetime requirements, the thermodynamically predicted low-level substitution of chromium on the B-site of (La,Sr)MnO3 could be a source of cathode degradation underlying more overt and well-known chromium poisoning mechanisms. To study this phenomenon in isolation, electronic conductivity (σ) and electrochemical oxygen reduction activity of the (La0.8Sr0.2)0.98CrxMn1−xO3 model series (x = 0, 0.02, 0.05 or 0.1) were measured in air between 850 and 650 °C. Depending on the extent of chromium substitution and the measurement temperature, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results could be deconvoluted into a maximum of three contributions reflecting possible limiting processes such as oxide ion transport and dissociative adsorption. Chromium substitution resulted in lowered σ (from 174 S cm− 1 (x = 0) to 89 S cm− 1 (x = 0.1) at 850 °C) and a steady rise in associated activation energy (Ea) (from 0.105 ± 0.001 eV (x = 0) to 0.139 ± 0.001 eV (x = 0.1)). From EIS analyses, ohmic and polarisation resistances increased, whilst Ea for the overall oxygen reduction reaction also increased from 1.39 ± 0.04 eV (x = 0) to 1.48–1.54 ± 0.04 eV upon chromium substitution.