A stable La1.95Ca0.05Ce2O7−δ as the electrolyte for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract: The La1.95Ca0.05Ce2O7−δ (LCCO) material is successfully synthesized using the Pechini method. The synthesized powders are exposed to atmospheric CO2 and H2 with 3% H2O at 700°C. The treated LCCO powders are investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) to study the chemical stability. According to the XRD results, LCCO is very stable and shows no reactions with CO2 or H2O. A fuel cell with the LCCO electrolyte is prepared using the suspension spray method and is tested in the range from 600°C to 700°C using humidified hydrogen (∼3% H2O) as the fuel and static air as the oxidant. An open-circuit potential of 0.832V and a maximum power density of 259mWcm−2 are obtained for a single cell with an interface resistance of 0.23Ωcm2 at 700°C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]