Surface Exchange and Bulk Diffusivity of LSCF as SOFC Cathode: Electrical Conductivity Relaxation and Isotope Exchange Characterizations

The oxygen diffusion coefficient (D) and surface exchange coefficient (k) of a typical SOFC cathode material, La{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}Co{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 0.8}O{sub 3-δ} (LSCF) were characterized by both electrical conductivity relaxation (ECR) and oxygen isotope exchange (IE) methods. Conductivity relaxation experiments were conducted at 800°C for small step changes in partial pressure of oxygen (P{sub O{sub 2}} ), both decreasing and increasing, from 0.02 atm to 0.20 atm. The results revealed P{sub O{sub 2}} dependent hysteresis with the reduction process requiring more equilibration time than oxidation. Analysis of the experimental data indicated that the surface exchange coefficient is a function of the final oxygen partial pressure in an isothermal system. In addition, both forward and backward oxygen reduction reaction constants, which are vital for the fundamental understanding of SOFC cathode reaction mechanisms, are investigated based on the relationship between surface exchange coefficient and P{sub O{sub 2}} . The direct comparisons between the results from both ECR and IE were presented and the possible experimental errors in both methods were discussed.