Cycling performance and interface stability research of tubular protonic reversible solid oxide cells with air electrodes by different manufacturing processes

The electrode microstructure and interface stability play an important role during thermal cycles and reversible cycles for protonic reversible solid oxide cells (P-rSOCs). In this work, the effects of microstructural change of air electrodes on the performance and cycling stability are investigated by using tubular cells with large active area (7.5 cm2). The BaCe0.5Zr0.4In0.1O3@ La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 (BCZI@LSC) composite air electrode is prepared through a wet chemical procedure based on infiltration of the LSC precursor solution into the BCZI electrolyte skeleton. The LSC nanoparticles attach to the electrolyte skeleton in a continuous film-forming morphology, affording abun-dant three-phase reaction boundaries (TPBs) and the continuous conducting phase. Compared to the BCZI + LSC composite air electrode prepared by conventional mechanical mixing, the cell with the BCZI@LSC electrode demonstrates an increased current density of 51%. The cell with the BCZI + LSC electrode shows acceptable stability during 14 reversible FC-EC cycles and 4 thermal cycles (between 650 degrees C and room temperature) for 360 h in 20% H2O-air atmosphere. The differences in stability for cells prepared by the two processes are compared and discussed.