Barium carbonate nanoparticle to enhance oxygen reduction activity of strontium doped lanthanum ferrite for solid oxide fuel cell

BaCO3 nanoparticles are demonstrated as outstanding catalysts for high-temperature oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on the La0.8Sr0.2FeO3-δ (LSF) cathode for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based on ytrria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolytes. Thermal gravitational and X-ray diffraction measurements show that BaCO3 is stable and chemically compatible with LSF under the fabrication and operation conditions of intermediate-temperature SOFCs. The BaCO3 nanoparticles can greatly reduce the interfacial polarization resistance; from 2.96 to 0.84 Ω cm2 at 700 °C when 12.9wt% BaCO3 is infiltrated to the porous LSF electrode on the YSZ electrolyte. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy shows that there is about one order of magnitude decrease in the low-frequency resistance, indicating that BaCO3 nanoparticles can greatly enhance the surface steps for ORR. Electrical conductivity relaxation investigation indicates about one order of magnitude increase in the chemical oxygen surface exchange coefficient when BaCO3 is applied, directly demonstrating significant increase in the kinetics for ORR. In addition, LSF cathodes with infiltrated BaCO3 nanoparticles have shown excellent stability and substantially enhanced cell performance as demonstrated with single cells, suggesting BaCO3 nanoparticles are very effective in enhancing ORR on LSF.