Investigation on Reaction Mechanism in an SOFC Composite Cathode by Using Patterned Thin Film Electrodes

The reaction mechanism in an SOFC composite cathode was investigated by using patterned thin film model electrodes. In this work, we proposed new types of model electrodes, which could reproduce SOFCs cathodic reactions in a composite electrode of a mixed conducting electrode and an electrolyte. Then the model electrode was fabricated by choosing La 0.6 Sr 0.4 CoO 3- δ (LSC) and Ce 0.9 Gd 0.1 O 1.95 (GDC) as the electrode and the electrolyte, respectively. From the DC polarization measurements of the model electrode, it was found that making a composite of LSC and GDC can improve the cathodic performance especially at lower temperatures, possibly due to higher oxide ion conduction in GDC than LSC.