A Gd0.2Ce0.8O1.9 impregnated Pr0.4Sr0.6Co0.2Fe0.7Nb0.1O3-δ nanofiber-structured composite anode in solid oxide fuel cells

In this study, comparative experiments were conducted based on La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-delta (LSGM) electrolytes, which supported single solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) with pure nanofiber-structured Pr0.4Sr0.6Co0.2Fe0.7Nb0.1O3-delta (PSCFN) anodes or Gd0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (GDC) impregnated PSCFN nanofiber-structured composite anodes. The polarization resistance (R-p) values of the pure nanofiber-structured PSCFN anode and the PSCFN-GDC nanofiber-structured composite anode with an optimal mass ratio of 1 : 0.56 were recorded as 1.573 Omega cm(2) and 0.212 Omega cm(2) at 850 degrees C in wet H-2 (97% H-2-3% H2O), respectively. After impregnating the GDC materials, the maximum power density (P-max) of the single cell with the PSCFN-GDC nanofiber-structured composite anode was found to be about 1.5 times greater than that of the pure nanofiber-structured PSCFN anode at 850 degrees C in wet H-2. The cell with the PSCFNGDC nanofiber-structured composite anode presented a significant electrochemical performance in wet H-2. Meanwhile it also showed excellent thermal cycling and long-term stability during the redox and constant-current discharge testing (300 mA cm(-2)) at 850 degrees C in wet H-2. All of these results indicated that the PSCFN-GDC nanofiber-structured composite anode acted as an efficient and competitive power anode operating in hydrogen fuels.