Strontium-doped samarium manganite as cathode materials for oxygen reduction reaction in solid oxide fuel cells

SmxSr1−xMnO3 with x = 0.3, 0.5 and 0.8, denoted as SSM37, SSM55 and SSM82, respectively, have been prepared via a sol-gel route as materials for cathodes in solid oxide fuel cells. Their activities in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) have been evaluated in comparison with the state-of-the-art cathode material La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 (LSM82) by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermogravimetry (TG). Among all the prepared cathodes, the SSM55 exhibits the lowest values, while the LSM82 exhibits the highest polarization resistance, at open circuit voltage (OCV) and temperatures from 650 to 800 °C. This result indicates that the prepared SmxSr1−xMnO3 is a promising replacement for LSM82 as cathode material for SOFCs, and the SSM55 represents the optimal concentration in SmxSr1−xMnO3 series. The remarkably high ORR activity of the SSM55 is ascribed to its high surface Mn4+/Mn3+ and Oad/Olattice ratios and fast surface oxygen exchange kinetics.