Preparation and electrochemical properties of La1.0Sr1.0FeO4+δ as cathode material for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Cathodic material La1.0Sr1.0FeO4+δ for an intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (IT-SOFC) was prepared via the glycine-nitrate process and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD results showed that no reaction occurred between the La1.0Sr1.0FeO4+δ electrode and Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (SDC) electrolyte at 1000 °C. SEM results showed that the electrode formed good contact with the SDC electrolyte after sintering at 1000 °C for 2 h. The electrochemical properties of La1.0Sr1.0FeO4+δ were measured using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and steady state polarization measurement. At 700 °C, the polarization resistance was about 3.90 Ωcm2, and the lowest polarization overpotential was 57 mV at a current density of 55 mA cm−2.