Fabrication of electrolyte-free fuel cell with Mg0.4Zn0.6O/Ce0.8Sm0.2O2−δ-Li0.3Ni0.6Cu0.07Sr0.03O2−δ layer

Electrolyte-free fuel cell (EFFC) which holds the similar function with the traditional solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) but possesses a completely different structure, has draw much attention during these years. Herein, we report a complex of MZSDC-LNCS (Mg0.4Zn0.6O/Ce0.8Sm0.2O2−δ-Li0.3Ni0.6Cu0.07Sr0.03O2−δ) for EFFC that demonstrates a high electrochemical power output of about 600 mW cm−2 at 630 °C. The co-doped MZSDC is synthesized by a co-precipitation method. Semiconductor material of LNCS is synthesized by direct solid state reaction. The microstructure and morphology of the composite materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). The performance of the cell with a large size (6 × 6 cm2) is comparable or even better than that of the conventional solid oxide fuel cells with large sizes. The maximum power output of 9.28 W is obtained from the large-size cell at 600 °C. This paper develops a new functional nanocomposite for EFFC which is conducive to its commercial use.