High performance solid oxide fuel cells with electrocatalytically enhanced (La, Sr)MnO3 cathodes

The conventionally mixed LSM–YSZ, LSM impregnated YSZ (LSM + YSZ) and Pd impregnated LSM–YSZ (Pd + LSM–YSZ) cathodes, were prepared and evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and single cell testing. The electrochemical performance of the impregnated cathodes have been significantly boosted due to the formation of nano-sized LSM and Pd particles on the YSZ and LSM–YSZ substrates, respectively, and in turn, the increased area of the triple phase boundary (TPB) where the O 2 reduction reaction occurs, the power densities as high as 1.42 and 0.83 W cm −2 at 750 °C were achieved from single cells with the Pd + LSM–YSZ and LSM + YSZ cathodes, respectively, in contrast to 0.20 W cm −2 from the single cell with the conventional LSM–YSZ cathode. Suggesting the Pd + LSM–YSZ and LSM + YSZ cathodes can be well used for the intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs).