The effect of copper infiltration on LSM Cathode microstructure in high temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

Solid oxide fuel cells are a technology that can convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy. In the present study, LSM single-phase nanoparticles with the nominal chemical formula La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 were successfully synthesized by the improved Pachin method., and the infiltration of heterogeneous copper and cerium electrocatalysts on the cathode was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to determine the phase composition. The microstructure of synthesized powdes, and surface morphology were characterized using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The coated composition was examined using Elemental Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and elemental mapping image s.The microstructure of the electrocatalysts inoculated on the cathode was investigated by FE-SEM. The inoculation of 0.5M copper + 0.5M cerium nanoparticles with broad distribution on the LSM cathode surface with dimensions from 23 to 52 nm was obtained. While using one-component solutions of copper and cerium, nanoparticles with dimensions of 39 to 61 nm and 20 to 42 nm were created on the cathode surface, respectively.

Keywords

• infiltration
• copper
• cerium
• lsm cathode
• high-temperature sofc