In-situ formed Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 barrier layers on yttria stabilized zirconia backbones by infiltration - A promising path to high performing oxygen electrodes of solid oxide cells

Oxygen electrodes for solid oxide cells were prepared by a consecutive infiltration of a gadolinium doped ceria (Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9, CGO) barrier layer and a lanthanum cobalt nickelate (La0.95Co0.4Ni0.6O3, LCN) electro catalyst layer into a porous yttrium doped zirconia (YSZ) backbone. The influences of the following parameters on the microstructure of the formed CGO barrier layer and on the electrochemical performance of the cells were studied: i) surfactants and wetting agents, ii) ceria/gadolinia coverage, iii) calcination profiles and iv) exposure temperature during testing. The infiltration process of the CGO barrier layer was optimized and a slow, pH controlled decomposition of urea containing precursor solutions was found to be most effective. For these cells a decrease of 84% in the polarization resistance (Rp) was achieved compared to cells without a barrier layer. Furthermore, a better initial performance and only a small increase of the cell-resistance with increasing exposure temperatures during testing were obtained. A complete and homogenous covering of the YSZ backbone with Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 was found to be necessary to maintain high performance also at higher exposure temperatures (> 800 °C).