Novel core–shell SDC/amorphous Na2CO3 nanocomposite electrolyte for low-temperature SOFCs

Novel core–shell SDC (Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9)/amorphous Na2CO3 nanocomposite was prepared for the first time. The core–shell nanocomposite particles are smaller than 100 nm with amorphous Na2CO3 shell of 4–6 nm in thickness. The nanocomposite electrolyte shows superionic conductivity above 300 °C, where the conductivity reaches over 0.1 S cm−1. Such high conductive nanocomposite has been applied in low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LTSOFCs) with an excellent performance of 0.8 W cm−2 at 550 °C. A new potential approach of designing and developing superionic conductors for LTSOFCs was presented to develop interface as ‘superionic highway’ in two-phase materials based on coated SDC.