Increasing the Electrochemical Activity of the Interface Pr1.95La0.05CuO4/Porous Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 Layer by Infiltrating Pr6O11

The electrochemical properties are studied for the electrode with multilayered structure involving the current-collecting Pr1.95La0.05CuO4 layer (PLCO) and the porous Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 (GDC) layer modified by Pr6O11. The ratio of initial components (GDC/pore-forming agent) used in formation of the porous GDC layer is optimized in order to prepare the electrode with the high electrochemical activity in the oxygen reduction reaction. It is shown that the transition to the multilayered structure makes it possible to decrease the polarization resistance (Rη) of the PLCO-based electrode by one order of magnitude as compared with the original unmodified electrode and reach Rη = 0.16 Ω cm2 at 650°С in air. Based on the results of a systematic study aimed at the development of the step-by-step procedure of formation of the multilayered structure of the PLCO-based cathode for solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFC), it is shown that the proposed approach allows synthesizing the SOFC cathodic layers suitable of functioning in the intermediate temperature interval of 500–800°С and allowing the high electrochemical activity of the electrode in the oxygen reduction reaction to be reached.