Improved Electrochemical Performance of Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (SDC) Nanoparticles Decorated SrCo0.8Fe0.1Ga0.1O3−δ (SCFG) Fiber, Fabricated by Electrospinning, for IT-SOFCs Cathode Application

Abstract

This paper examines the electrochemical and microstructural features of SrCo0.8Fe0.1Ga0.1O3−δ (SCFG) with a fibrous structure infiltrated by an SDC electrolyte for use as a cathode in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). An electrospinning process is used to produce SCFG fibers. In a symmetrical cell, Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (SDC) nanoparticles are infiltrated into the porous fibrous SCFG cathode layer after it was applied to the SDC dense electrolyte. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis reveals that the polarization resistance of the SCFG cathode with fiber morphology is significantly lower than that of the same combination with powder morphology. In addition, it is shown that infiltration of SDC oxygen ion conductor nanoparticles enhanced electrochemical performance. The lowest value of polarization resistance, 0.03 Ω cm2 at 800 °C, is attained by the SCFG with a fibrous structure containing 14 wt% SDC nanoparticles.