Composite cathode based on doped vanadate enhanced with loaded metal nanoparticles for steam electrolysis

•The synergetic effect was achieved in the nanometal-loaded vanadate cathode.•The electrode polarization effectively improves with loaded Ni/Fe nanoparticles.•Composite cathode with Ni/Fe nanocatalyst achieves high current efficiency.•Direct steam electrolysis is efficient and dominates the process at high voltage.

The use of composite electrodes based on La0.7Sr0.3VO3 (LSV) for steam electrolysis has uncovered the tremendous potential and capacity inherent in this material. Unfortunately, this material has a major setback of inefficient electrolysis triggered by limited electrocatalytic activity. In this work, an infiltration method is employed to load catalytic-active metal nanoparticles onto the composite electrodes in order to achieve an activity-enhanced electrode performance. The electrical properties of LSV are methodically explored and correlated to electrode performance. At 800 °C in either pure H2 or low hydrogen partial pressure (pH2) of 5%H2/N2, the polarization resistance of symmetrical cells with Ni-loaded LSV (LSV-Ni) cathode is largely enhanced, in contrast to bare LSV cathode. Similar improvement is also achieved for the Fe-loaded LSV (LSV-Fe) cathode in a wide range of hydrogen partial pressures of 5%–100%. The Faraday efficiencies of LSV-Ni and LSV-Fe composite cathodes were remarkably improved for electrolysis in either 3%H2O/4.7H2/Ar or 3%H2O/Ar at 800 °C.