Effect of Polarization on and Implications for Characterization of LSM-YSZ Composite Cathodes

Steven McIntosh, Stuart B. Adler, John M. Vohs and Raymond J. Gorte, Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters 7 :A111 (2004).
DOI
10.1149/1.1667792
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Abstract

Identical strontium-doped LaMnO3 and yttria-doped zirconia (LSM-YSZ) composite electrodes were characterized in three separate cell configurations, in air at 973 K using impedance spectroscopy. These configurations included a single-cell solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), a symmetric cell (cathode/YSZ/cathode), and a thick pellet half-cell. Large discrepancies were observed in the measurements, with the electrode showing a current-independent area-specific resistance (ASR) of ~0.2 V cm2 as an SOFC cathode, while nearly identical electrodes in the other two configurations exhibited nonlinear behavior, with ASR as large as 12 V cm2. The discrepancies are partly explained by electrode polarization effects. This has important implications for cathode characterization in SOFC.

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