Copper-based electrodes for IT-SOFC

Copper and gadolinium doped ceria (GDC) anode supported fuel cells were co-sintered at relatively low temperature (900 degrees C) and successfully tested in the intermediate temperature (IT) range. The GDC electrolyte densification was promoted by a compressive strain induced by increasing the anodic thickness and was evaluated by SEM investigation. Instead of more commonly used La0.8Sr0.2Fe0.6Co0.4O3.delta, strontium and copper-doped lanthanum ferrite La0.8Sr0.2Fe0.8Cu0.2O3.delta (LSFCu) mixed with 30 wt% GDC (LSFCu-GDC) was employed as cathodic material. Preliminary tests on Cu-GDC/GDC/LSFCu-GDC single cells showed promising results at temperature as low as 650 degrees C using hydrogen as fuel.