Study of transition metal oxide doped LaGaO3 as electrode materials for LSGM-based solid oxide fuel cells

Transition metal oxide doped lanthanum gallates, La0.9Sr0.1Ga0.8M0.2O3 (where M=Co, Mn, Cr, Fe, or V), are studied as mixed ionic-electronic conductors (MIECs) for electrode applications. The electrochemical properties of these materials in air and in H2 are characterized using impedance spectroscopy, open cell voltage measurement, and gas permeation measurement. Three single cells based on La0.9Sr0.1Ga0.8 Mg0.2O3 (LSGM) electrolyte (1.13 to 1.65 mm thick) but with different electrode materials are studied under identical conditions to characterize the effectiveness of the lanthanum gallate-based MIECs for electrode applications. At 800 °C, a single cell using La0.9Sr0.1- Ga0.8Co0.2O3 as the cathode and La0.9Sr0.1Ga0.8Mn0.2O3 as the anode shows a maximum power density of 88 mW/cm2, which is better than that of a cell using Pt as both electrodes (20 mW/cm2) and that of a cell using La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 (LSC) as the cathode and CeO2-Ni as the anode (61 mW/cm2) under identical conditions. The performance of LSGM-based fuel cells with MIEC electrodes may be further improved by reducing the electrolyte thickness and by optimizing the microstructures of the electrodes through processing.