Roles of humidity and cathodic current in chromium poisoning of Sr-doped LaMnO3-based cathodes in solid oxide fuel cells

Free energy minimization calculations and thermogravimetric experiments are performed to determine the chromium vapor species that form over chromia-forming alloy interconnect and result in chromium deposition. Based on the experimental and computational results, the roles of humidity and cathodic current in chromium poisoning are evaluated, and a mechanism associated to chromium vapor species deposition at the cathode/electrolyte interface is proposed.