Anode-Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with La[sub 0.6]Sr[sub 0.4]CoO[sub 3−λ]-Zr[sub 0.84]Y[sub 0.16]O[sub 2−δ] Composite Cathodes Fabricated by an Infiltration Method

Anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells were fabricated with (LSC-YSZ) composite cathodes by an infiltration method and evaluated at . Cells with optimized composite cathode layers exhibited power densities of at , peak power densities of , and area-specific resistances of at . The LSC-YSZ composite cathodes were fabricated by infiltrating a porous YSZ layer with metal salts and then firing at . This fabrication method produced a unique cathode microstructure with a highly porous and contiguous YSZ network and a finely dispersed LSC phase. The low sintering temperature of the LSC phase in the porous YSZ network prevented the formation of the secondary phases and . A systematic variation of the YSZ and LSC content in the composite indicated that a minimum of of the infiltrated LSC phase was necessary for the cathode to perform effectively. The optimal composition of the composite cathode was found to be YSZ, LSC, and porosity.