High-performance nanofibrous LaCoO3 perovskite cathode for solid oxide fuel cells fabricated via chemically assisted electrodeposition

Abstract

In this study, a new method is developed for the fabrication of nanofibrous LaCoO₃ (LCO) perovskites as cathodes (oxygen electrodes) for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The proposed method involves chemically assisted electrodeposition (CAED) of mixed metal hydroxide onto a carbon nanotube (CNT) template, followed by a low-temperature heat-treatment process. The CNT template is first fabricated on porous zirconia-based ion-conducting scaffolds (ICS) by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) of C₂H₄. Perovskite-type LCO is then fabricated on the CNT template by CAED process of mixed La–Co hydroxide combined with thermal conversion of hydroxide to perovskite oxide. The method proposed here allows for the fabrication of LCO perovskites with a unique nanofibrous structure at reduced temperatures (∼900 °C), while avoiding the formation of pyrochlore phases (e.g., La₂Zr₂O₇), which are typically observed during conventional high-temperature sintering processes of LaCoO₃ with zirconia-based electrolytes. The new method also provides the precise control needed to achieve desired oxide loadings without the need for repeated deposition-annealing processes. The anode-supported SOFCs with nanofibrous LCO cathodes on zirconia and ceria scaffolds show high and stable electrochemical performance of 0.95 and 1.27 W cm⁻², respectively, at 800 °C. In addition to the absence of insulating pyrochlore phases, the unique nanostructure of the LCO cathode is believed to play a beneficial role in improving the electrochemical properties by providing a large number of active reaction sites and by facilitating mass transport through the porous nanofibrous structure.