La1−xSrxCuO2.5−δ as new cathode materials for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

La1−xSrxCuO2.5−δ (LSCu), which exhibit excellent electrical conductivity and oxygen vacancies were investigated as potential cathode materials for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) applications. The structure stability, electrical conductivity, cathodic overpotential, and the reactivity with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) were examined in this study. It was found that the LSCu perovskite was obtained only when the addition of strontium fell in the range between 15 and 30%. With more than 20% of strontium addition, this material showed excellent electrical property and immunity to the reaction with YSZ at 800 °C. The conductivities of LSCu were as high as 900 S/cm at 600 °C, and 800 S/cm at 800 °C. The cathodic overpotential of this material was approximately 3.8 and 10.6 mV at a current density of 100 mA/cm2 at 850 and 750 °C, respectively. These properties are superior to Sr-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM), which is the state-of-the-art cathode material of SOFCs.