Conductivity and oxygen reduction activity changes in lanthanum strontium manganite upon low-level chromium substitution

•Possible SOFC cathode degradation upon reaction of Cr with (La,Sr)MnO3 probed.•(La0.8Sr0.2)0.98CrxMn1-xO3 model series (x = 0−0.1) investigated.•Electronic conductivity decreased and related activation energy increased with x.•Ohmic and polarisation resistances increased with x.•Activation energy for the overall oxygen reduction reaction increased with x.

On the timescale of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system lifetime requirements, the thermodynamically predicted low-level substitution of chromium on the B-site of (La,Sr)MnO3 could be a source of cathode degradation underlying more overt and well-known chromium poisoning mechanisms. To study this phenomenon in isolation, electronic conductivity (σ) and electrochemical oxygen reduction activity of the (La0.8Sr0.2)0.98CrxMn1−xO3 model series (x = 0, 0.02, 0.05 or 0.1) were measured in air between 850 and 650 °C. Depending on the extent of chromium substitution and the measurement temperature, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results could be deconvoluted into a maximum of three contributions reflecting possible limiting processes such as oxide ion transport and dissociative adsorption. Chromium substitution resulted in lowered σ (from 174 S cm− 1 (x = 0) to 89 S cm− 1 (x = 0.1) at 850 °C) and a steady rise in associated activation energy (Ea) (from 0.105 ± 0.001 eV (x = 0) to 0.139 ± 0.001 eV (x = 0.1)). From EIS analyses, ohmic and polarisation resistances increased, whilst Ea for the overall oxygen reduction reaction also increased from 1.39 ± 0.04 eV (x = 0) to 1.48–1.54 ± 0.04 eV upon chromium substitution.