Electrochemical performance and stability of Sr-doped LaMnO3-infiltrated yttria stabilized zirconia oxygen electrode for reversible solid oxide fuel cells

Porous Sr-doped lanthanum manganite–yttria stabilized zirconia (LSM–YSZ) oxygen electrode is prepared by an infiltration process for a reversible solid oxide fuel cell (RSOFC). X-ray diffraction and SEM analysis display that perovskite phase LSM submicro particles are evenly distributed in the porous YSZ matrix. Polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectra are conducted for the RSOFC at 800 and 850 °C under both SOFC and SOEC modes. At 850 °C, the single cell has the maximum power density of ~726 mW/cm2 under SOFC mode, and electrolysis voltage of 1.35 V at 1 A/cm2 under SOEC mode. Fuel cell/water electrolysis cycle shows the cell has good performance stability during 6 cycles, which exhibits the LSM–YSZ oxygen electrode has high electrochemical performance and good stability. The results suggest that network-like LSM–YSZ electrode made by infiltration process could be a promising oxygen electrode for high temperature RSOFCs.