CoFeZrAl-oxide based composite for advanced solid oxide fuel cells

•CoFeZrAl-oxide with nanorod morphology was prepared via an auto-ignition process.•The CFZA based fuel cell presents OCV of 1.07 V and Pmax of 631 mW/cm2 at 600 °C.•The CFZA composite possesses both O2 − and H+ conduction.•The composite of insulator and electronic conductor realized the ion-conducting.

A novel CoFeZrAl-oxide (CFZA) consisted of FeAl2O4, Co3O4 and ZrO2 was prepared by an auto ignition process, displaying a typical morphology of nanorods. The corresponding fuel cell was constructed by using CFZA as the ion-conducting membrane, incorporated between two layers of Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05Li-oxide pasted on nickel foam (Ni-NCAL), which was used as both electrodes and current collectors. The fuel cell presented an open circuit voltage of 1.07 V and maximum power density of 631 mW/cm2 at 600 °C. The reduction of FeAl2O4 to oxygen-deficient FeAl2O4 − δ under H2 condition contributed to the ionic conduction, then the ionic conductor FeAl2O4 − δ composited with insulator ZrO2 to further enhance the ionic conductivity due to composite effect.