Electrochemical performance of silver-modified Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ cathodes prepared via electroless deposition

Silver-modified Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ (BSCF) cathodes for intermediate-temperature solid-oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) were prepared by an electroless deposition process using N2H4 as the reducing agent at room temperature. This fabrication technique together with tailored electrode porosity, modified the BSCF electrodes with silver content that varied from 0.3 to 30 wt.% without damaging the electrode microstructure. Both the Ag loading and firing temperatures were found to have a significant impact on the electrode performance, which could facilitate or block the electrochemical processes of the BSCF-based cathodes, processes that include charge-transfer, oxygen adsorption and oxygen electrochemical reduction. At an optimal Ag loading of 3.0 wt.% and firing temperature of 850 °C, an area specific resistance of only 0.042 Ω cm2 at 600 °C was achieved for a modified BSCF cathode.