Novel Mg-Doped SrMoO(3) Perovskites Designed as Anode Materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

SrMo(1−x)M(x)O(3−δ) (M = Fe and Cr, x = 0.1 and 0.2) oxides have been recently described as excellent anode materials for solid oxide fuel cells at intermediate temperatures (IT-SOFC) with LSGM as the electrolyte. In this work, we have improved their properties by doping with aliovalent Mg ions at the B-site of the parent SrMoO(3) perovskite. SrMo(1−x)Mg(x)O(3−)(δ) (x = 0.1, 0.2) oxides have been prepared, characterized and tested as anode materials in single solid-oxide fuel cells, yielding output powers near 900 mW/cm(−2) at 850 °C using pure H(2) as fuel. We have studied its crystal structure with an “in situ” neutron power diffraction (NPD) experiment at temperatures as high as 800 °C, emulating the working conditions of an SOFC. Adequately high oxygen deficiencies, observed by NPD, together with elevated disk-shaped anisotropic displacement factors suggest a high ionic conductivity at the working temperatures. Furthermore, thermal expansion measurements, chemical compatibility with the LSGM electrolyte, electronic conductivity and reversibility upon cycling in oxidizing-reducing atmospheres have been carried out to find out the correlation between the excellent performance as an anode and the structural features.