A new Sc-doped La0.5Sr0.5MnO3-d cathode allows high performance for proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells

Sc ions are doped at the Mn site in the ABO(3)-type perovskite La0.5Sr0.5MnO3-delta (LSM), while the investigation from the density functional theory calculations makes the guidance that the doping of Sc into LSM could be beneficial for its application in proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (H-SOFCs) with decreased oxygen formation energy and hydration energy as well as improved oxygen reduction reaction ability. The subsequent experimental studies indicate that the Sc-doped LSM (LSMSc) could greatly boost its performance in H-SOFCs, leading to a high fuel cell output of 1221 mW cm(-2) at 700 ?, which is about 75% higher than that of the cell using Sc-free LSM cathode. This fuel cell performance is also a record-high performance for LSM-based H-SOFCs compared with the literature reports. Furthermore, the good fuel cell performance is compatible with the excellent chemical stability of the material. The LSMSc material shows excellent stability against CO2 and H2O, allowing its stable operation in the fuel cell condition.