Integration of Innovative Oxide Materials in an Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

Abstract

This work aims to associate two innovative promising oxide materials, the perovskite-type BaIn0.3Ti0.7O3-δ (BIT07) electrolyte and the lanthanide nickelate Pr2-xNiO4+δ cathode, in a planar anode-supported SOFC for an efficient operation at 700°C. The cell elaboration protocol will be briefly described, and the results of electrochemical characterizations of complete cells will be discussed. Adding a GDC barrier layer in between BIT07 electrolyte and the cathode decreased the polarization resistance by a factor 4, e.g. for Pr1.97NiO4+δ a competitive value of 0.29 Ω cm² is reached. It also led to increased OCV values, as a small p-type conductivity of BIT07 in oxidizing atmosphere associated with a few microscopic cracks observed in the electrolyte layer could be compensated by an electron-blocking effect of GDC and a filling of the porosities of the electrolyte. This cell was operated beyond 500 hours of under current, with a fairly high extrapolated degradation rate of 27% / kh.