Nanocomposite Ag–LSM solid oxide fuel cell electrodes

Advances in infiltration technology have enabled the creation of innovative electrode architectures that are key to highly effective SOFC anodes and cathodes. In this work, an Ag-infiltrated electrode has been created using a pre-sintered porous scandia-stabilized zirconia (SSZ) electrode backbone. The well-sintered SSZ provides a highly connected ion-conducting pathway throughout the electrode, while the nanometer thickness of the Ag particle layer minimizes the oxygen transport resistance that otherwise limits reaction rates in typical Ag composite electrodes. The new Ag composite electrode had minimal activation polarization by 750 °C. The infiltration technology has allowed for incorporation of additional nanoscale electrocatalysts. Here, an Ag–LSM (strontium-doped lanthanum manganate) composite was produced, that takes advantage of each component catalyst and demonstrates a further enhanced effectiveness of the cathode Ag metal catalyst, producing relatively stable cell power densities of 316 mW cm−2 at 0.7 V (and 467 mW cm−2 peak power at ~0.4 V) for over 500 h.