La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ cathode surface-treated with La2NiO4+δ by aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition for high performance solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract In this study, we evaluate lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF) surface-coated with lanthanum nickelate (LNO) fabricated by aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) for application in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The AACVD method successfully produces LNO in the desired composition and crystal structure. The deposited LNO is confirmed to form a dense and uniform layer along the nano-porous LSCF support. The LSCF with an optimal amount of LNO surface clearly enhances the SOFC performance, showing a power increase of approximately 60% at 600 °C in our experiment. This enhancement results from the reduction of both ohmic and polarization resistance, presumably due to improved cathodic surface kinetics and current collection. This AACVD LNO-treatment is also confirmed to be effective in improving long-term stability, significantly suppressing the power decrease observed in an untreated sample.