Compositional Engineering of a La(1-x)Ba(x)CoO(3-δ)-(1-a) BaZr(0.9)Y(0.1)O(2.95) (a = 0.6, 0.7, 0.8 and x = 0.5, 0.6, 0.7) Nanocomposite Cathodes for Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cells

Compositionally engineered a La(1-x)Ba(x)CoO(3-δ)-(1-a) BaZr(0.9)Y(0.1)O(2.95) (a = 0.6, 0.7, 0.8 and x = 0.5, 0.6, 0.7) (LBZ) nanocomposite cathodes were prepared by oxidation driven in situ exsolution of a single-phase material deposited on a BaZr(0.9)Y(0.1)O(2.95) electrolyte. The processing procedure of the cathode was optimized by reducing the number of thermal treatments as the single-phase precursor was deposited directly on the electrolyte. The exsolution and firing of the cathodes occurred in one step. The electrochemical performance of symmetrical cells with the compositionally engineered cathodes was investigated by impedance spectroscopy in controlled atmospheres. The optimized materials processing gave web-like nanostructured cathodes with superior electrochemical performance for all compositions. The area specific resistances obtained were all below 12 Ω·cm(2) at 400 °C and below 0.59 Ω·cm(2) at 600 °C in 3% moist synthetic air. The resistances of the nominal 0.6 La(0.5)Ba(0.5)CoO(3-δ)-0.4 BaZr(0.9)Y(0.1)O(2.95) and 0.8 La(0.5)Ba(0.5)CoO(3-δ)-0.2 BaZr(0.9)Y(0.1)O(2.95) composite cathodes were among the lowest reported for protonic ceramic fuel cells cathodes in symmetrical cell configuration with ASR equal to 4.04 and 4.84 Ω·cm(2) at 400 °C, and 0.21 and 0.27 Ω·cm(2) at 600 °C, respectively.