High-Temperature Behavior, Oxygen Transport Properties, and Electrochemical Performance of Cu-Substituted Nd1.6Ca0.4NiO4+δ Electrode Materials

Abstract

In this study, Nd1.6Ca0.4Ni1−yCuyO4+δ-based electrode materials for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) are investigated. Materials of the series (y = 0–0.4) are obtained by pyrolysis of glycerol-nitrate compositions. The study of crystal structure and high-temperature stability in air and under low oxygen partial pressure atmospheres are performed using high-resolution neutron and in situ X-ray powder diffraction. All the samples under the study assume a structure with Bmab sp.gr. below 350◦C and with I4/mmm sp.gr. above 500◦C. A transition in the volume thermal expansion coefficient values from 7.8–9.3 to 9.1–12.0 × 10−6, K−1 is observed at approximately 400◦C in air and 500◦C in helium.The oxygen self-diffusion coefficient values, obtained using isotope exchange, monotonically decrease with the Cu content increasing, while concentration dependence of the charge carriers goes through the maximum at x = 0.2. The Nd1.6Ca0.4Ni0.8Cu0.2O4+δ electrode materialdemonstrates chemical compatibility and superior electrochemical performance in the symmetrical cells with Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9, BaCe0.8Sm0.2O3−δ, BaCe0.8Gd0.19Cu0.1O3−δ and BaCe0.5Zr0.3Y0.1Yb0.1O3−δ solid electrolytes, potentially for application in IT-SOFCs. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.