Development of lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite perovskite electrodes of solid oxide fuel cells – A review

There is an enormous driving force in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) to reduce the operating temperatures from high temperatures (800–1000 °C) to intermediate and low temperatures (400–800 °C) in order to increase the durability, improve thermal compatibility and thermal cycle capability, and reduce the fabrication and materials costs. One of the grand challenges is the development of cathode materials for intermediate and low temperature SOFCs with high activity and stability for the O2 reduction reaction (ORR), high structural stability as well as high tolerance toward contaminants like chromium, sulfur and boron. Lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF) perovskite is the most popular and representative mixed ionic and electronic conducting (MIEC) electrode material for SOFCs. LSCF-based materials are characterized by high MIEC properties, good structural stability and high electrochemical activity for ORR, and have played a unique role in the development of SOFCs technologies. However, there appears no comprehensive review on the development and understanding of this most important MIEC electrode material in SOFCs despite its unique position in SOFCs. The objective of this article is to provide a critical and comprehensive review in the structure and defect chemistry, the electrical and ionic conductivity, and relationship between the performance, intrinsic and extrinsic factors of LSCF-based electrode materials in SOFCs. The challenges, strategies and prospect of LSCF-based electrodes for intermediate and low temperature SOFCs are discussed. Finally, the development of LSCF-based electrodes for metal-supported SOFCs and solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) is also briefly reviewed.