LSM Cathodes Infiltrated With Er2O3 Stabilized Bi2O3

The La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 perovskite oxide (LSM) electrode was infiltrated with Er2O3 stabilized Bi2O3 (ESB) to improve the cathode performance of intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells. ESB infiltration was carried out by dropping the nitrate solution of Bi(NO3)(3) and Er(NO3)(3) (80:20 mol ratio) on the LSM electrode surface prepared on yttria stabilized zirconia by screen-printing technique. The electrode performance of the infiltrated LSM electrode was studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis in open air. The EIS results showed that the electrode resistance was drastically decreased by the infiltration of Bi(NO3)(3)-Er(NO3)(3) solution into the LSM electrode; the electrode resistance was as low as 2.31 cm(2) for the infiltration LSM cathode at 600 degrees C, which was compared with similar to 380 cm(2) for the noninfiltrated LSM cathode. The low electrode resistance could be explained by the formation of high oxide ion conductivity Er2O3-doped Bi2O3 on the LSM particles.