Infiltrated porous YSZ as a cathode active layer for cathode-supported solid oxide fuel cells

• New cathode-supported SOFCs were fabricated by tape-casting and co-sintering.
• Infiltrated La0.6Sr0.4Fe0.9Sc0.1O3- nano-scale catalyst worked as active cathode.
• The power density of new designed cathode-supported SOFCs was favorable.

A novel active cathode structure of La0.6Sr0.4Fe0.9Sc0.1O3 − δ (LSFSc) infiltrated porous 8 mol% Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) was fabricated by tape casting, co-sintering and infiltration techniques. The infiltrated porous-YSZ layer worked as a cathode active layer (CAL) between a YSZ electrolyte layer and (La0.8Sr0.2)0.95MnO3 (LSM95) cathode substrate. The obtained fuel cells with Ni/SDC anode showed the maximum power densities of 0.574, 0.733 and 0.835 W·cm− 2 at 750, 800 and 850 °C, respectively, with H2 as fuel and air as the oxidant.