Pr4Ni3O10+δ: A new promising oxygen electrode material for solid oxide fuel cells

The present work is focused on the study of Pr4Ni3O10+delta as a new cathode material for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). The structural study leads to an indexation in orthorhombic structure with Fmmm space group, this structure being thermally stable throughout the temperature range up to 1000 degrees C under air and oxygen. The variation of oxygen content (10+delta) as a function of temperature under different atmospheres show that Pr4Ni3O10+delta is always oxygen over-stoichiometric, which further suggests its MIEC properties. The polarization resistance (R-p) of Pr4Ni3O10+delta electrode is measured for GDC/co-sintered and two-step sintered half cells. The R-p for co-sintered sample is found to be 0.16 Omega cm(2) at 600 degrees C under air, which is as low as the one of highest performing Pr2NiO4+delta nickelate (R-p = 0.15 Omega cm(2) at 600 degrees C). Moreover, an anode supported (Ni-YSZ//YSZ) single cell including GDC//Pr4Ni3O10+delta co-sintered electrode shows a maximum power density of 1.60 W cm(-2) at 800 degrees C and 0.68 W cm(-2) at 700 degrees C. Here, the work is emphasized on the very close electrochemical performance of Pr4Ni3O10+delta compared to the one of Pr2NiO4+delta with higher chemical stability, which gives great interests to consider this material as a very interesting oxygen-electrode for SOFCs. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.