Enhancing activity and stability of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3- δ cathode by surface engineering with SrCoO3-δ nanoparticles in protonic ceramic fuel cells

CX Wang and GJ Zhang and Q Xue and XY Zhang and T Chen and L Xu and SR Wang, CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL, 51, 47793-47800 (2025).

DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.08.038

Surface engineering has been considered as a promising technology to enhance the cathode's oxygen reduction reaction kinetics (ORR) for protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs). In this work, the infiltrated SrCoO3-delta (SCO) nanoparticles are incorporated onto the Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-delta (BSCF) cathode via the surface engineering. The effect of infiltration volume on the distribution density of nanoparticles for electrochemical performance is investigated. The polarization resistance (Rp) of 2 mu L SCO-BSCF symmetrical cell shows a value of 0.108 Omega cm(2) at 700 degrees C in dry air, and exhibit higher stability than the bare BSCF cathode in wet atmospheres. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that SCO-BSCF facilitates the oxygen hydrogenation process. Molecular dynamics (MD) also indicate that the SCO nanoparticles are beneficial to the oxygen adsorption. Furthermore, the PCFC with 2 mu L SCO-BSCF cathode achieves the maximum power density of 938.55 mW cm(-2) at 700 degrees C. These findings suggest that the 2 mu L SCO-BSCF could potentially be utilized as a cathode material for PCFCs.

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