Competitive solid oxide cells using YSr2Cu2FeO7+δ based oxygen electrodes prepared by combustion synthesis

In this paper we present the electrochemical performance of YSr 2 Cu 2 FeO 7+δ (YSCF). YSCF was prepared by the combustion method and showed YBaCuO-type structure. Symmetrical cells with YSCF-Ce 0.9 Gd 0.1 O 2-δ (CGO) electrodes showed a polarization resistance of 0.3 Ω cm 2 at 600 °C. Then, YSCF was incorporated in fuel electrode supported solid oxide cells (SOCs). SOCs were composed by the Ni-8% mol stabilized ZrO 2 (YSZ) cermet as fuel electrode, YSZ as electrolyte, CGO as barrier layer and the composite YSCF-CGO as oxygen electrode. A SOC with (La 0 . 6 Sr 0 . 4 ) 0 . 95 Fe 0 . 8 Co 0 . 2 O 3−δ (LSCF)-CGO oxygen electrode was also fabricated as reference cell. At 800 °C under 50:50% H 2 O:H 2 in the fuel electrode and air in the oxygen electrode, YSCF-based cell reached a maximum power output of 0.74 W cm −2 at 0.5 V in SOFC mode and −1.1 A cm −2 at thermoneutral voltage (1.3 V) in SOEC mode. In the same conditions, EIS measurements revealed a polarization resistance of 0.17 Ω cm 2 .