Novel dual-phase symmetrical electrode materials for protonic ceramic fuel cells

Protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) can use hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels to generate electricity with good performance and anti-cooking resistance. Herein, a novel dual-phase perovskite oxide BaCe0.5Fe0.4Ni0.1O3-delta (BCFN) with BaCe0.5Fe0.5O3-delta (BCF) as one reference was synthesized, characterized and then evaluated as the symmetrical electrodes for PCFCs. Both BCF and BCFN can be self-assembled into an orthorhombic cerium-rich oxide phase and a cubic iron-rich oxide phase after calcined at 1000 degrees C and show good redox stability. BCFN shows much better electrical conductivity and lower area specific resistance than BCF. Applying BCF and BCFN as symmetrical electrodes for PCFCs with the BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.2O3-delta (BZCY) electrolyte supporting, the cell performance with BCFN symmetrical electrode is almost twice (141 mW center dot cm(2) at 700 degrees C) than those with BCF symmetrical electrode, and the electrode polarization resistances are also reduced from 0.7 to 0.5 omega center dot cm(2) using humidified H-2. The preliminary experimental results can demonstrate that dual-phase perovskite oxides with nanoparticle in situ precipitation are very promising symmetrical electrodes for protonic ceramic fuel cells.