Preparation and performance of nanostructured porous thin cathode for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells by spin-coating method

To reduce the cathode-electrolyte interfacial polarization resistance of low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), a nanostructured porous thin cathode consisting of Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (SSC) and Ce0.8SM0.2O1.9 (SDC) was fabricated on an anode-supported electrolyte film using spin-coating technique. A suspension with nanosized cathode materials, volatilizable solvents and a soluble pore former was developed. The results indicated that the cell with the nanostructured porous thin cathode sintered at 950 degrees C showed relatively high maximum power density of 212 mW cm(-2) at 500 degrees C and 114 mW cm(-2) at 450 degrees C, and low interfacial polarization resistance of 0.79 Omega cm(2) at 500 degrees C and 2.81 Omega cm(2) at 450 degrees C. Hence, the nanostructured porous thin cathode is expected to be a promising cathode for low-temperature SOFCs. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.