Strategy towards cost-effective low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells: A mixed-conductive membrane comprised of natural minerals and perovskite oxide

Our previous work has revealed the feasibility of natural hematite as an electrolyte material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), tailoring SOFCs to be a more economically competitive energy conversion technology. In the present work, with the aim of exploring more practical uses of natural minerals, a novel composite hematite/LaCePrOx-La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ (hematite/LCP-LSCF) has been developed from natural hematite ore, rare-earth mineral LaCePr-carbonate, and perovskite oxide LSCF as a functional membrane in SOFCs. The heterogeneity, nanostructure and mixed-conductive property of the composite were investigated. The results showed that the hematite/LCP-30 wt% LSCF composite possessed balanced ionic and electronic conductivities, with an ionic conductivity as high as 0.153 S cm−1 at 600 °C. The as-designed fuel cell using the hematite/LCP-LSCF membrane exhibited encouraging power outputs of 303 - 662 mW cm−2 at 500 - 600 °C. These findings show that the hematite/LCP-LSCF based fuel cell is a viable strategy for developing cost-effective and practical low-temperature SOFCs (LTSOFCs).