Oxide ionic conductivities of apatite-type lanthanum silicates and germanates and their possibilities as an electrolyte of lower temperature operating SOFC

Electrical properties of LaxM6O12+1.5x (M = Si, Ge) as an electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) have been investigated. In LaxSi6O12+1.5x and LaxGe6O12+1.5x of x = 8–11, the highest conductivities were achieved at x = 9.7 (La9.7Si6O26.55) and x = 9.0 (La9.0(GeO4)6O1.5), respectively. The conductivity of La9.0(GeO4)6O1.5 was higher than that of La9.7Si6O26.55 in a temperature region higher than 700 °C, and the conductivity (2.4 × 10−3 S cm−1) of La9.7Si6O26.55 at 400 °C was higher than that (8.3 × 10−5 S cm−1) of La9.0(GeO4)6O1.5. The power densities of SOFC (H2 | Pt | electrolyte (thickness: 1 mm) | Pt | O2) using La9.0(GeO4)6O1.5 as an electrolyte were 14.3 mW cm−2 (700 °C) and 24.0 mW cm−2 (800 °C). The corresponding SOFC using La9.7Si6O26.55 was found to work even at lower temperatures of 400 and 500 °C with power densities of 0.011 and 0.12 mW cm−2. The SOFC (H2 | Ni–Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 | electrolyte | Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O2.5 | air) using 0.3 mm thickness La9.7Si6O26.55 electrolyte gave the 3.4 mW cm−2 power density at 500 °C.