Validation and Electrochemical Properties of Nd2NiO4+d as SOFCs Cathode with YSZ and GDC electrolytes

A. MONTENEGRO HERNANDEZ; L. MOGNI; A. CANEIRO

Zaragoza

Congreso; Fuel Cell 2010-Grove Conference; 2010

Editorial Elsevier

The Ruddlesden-Popper phase Nd2NiO4+δ is a potential electrode material for IT-SOFC  due to its high oxygen ionic and p-type electronic conductivities, thermal expansion coefficient (TEC)  close to those of most widely used SOFC electrolytes [1], and its aptitude to accommodate a large oxygen overstoichiometry [2]. In order to validate the application of this material as SOFCs cathode, in this work are presented several studies on the chemical and electrochemical compatibilities between Nd2NiO4+δ and the two most used electrolyte materials Yttrium Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) and Gadolinium Doped Ceria (GDC). The chemical compatibility has been observed by XRD and SEM-EDS experiments, which show that Nd2NiO4+δ does not react with the electrolyte materials at 900 °C. This is not the case when La2NiO4+δ  was tested with the similar methods [3]. Symmetrical cells cathode/electrolyte/cathode have been studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The measurements were carried out in the temperature range from 500 to 800 ºC and the pO2 range from 10−3 to 1 atm, for several electrode thicknesses in order to study the process taking place on cathode/electrolyte interface and the limiting steps of oxygen reduction mechanisms.  The main difference between this work and those previously reported by other authors [4,5] is that in our case we use Au mesh as electrical collector. This is because we found high reactivity between Nd2NiO4+δ and Pt. [1] F. Mauvy, C. Lalanne, J.-M. Bassat, J.-C. Grenier, A. Brisse, A.-L. Sauvet, C. Barthet, J. Fouletier. Solid State Ionics 180 (2009) 1183–1189. [2] F. Chauveau, J. Mougin, J.M. Bassat, F. Mauvy, J.C. Grenier, Journal of  Power Sources 195 (2010) 744–749. [3] A. Montenegro Hernández, L. Mogni, A. Caneiro, international Journal of  hydrogen energy. In press ( 2010). [4] F. Mauvy, C. Lalanne, J.M. Bassat, J.C. Grenier, H. Zhao, P. Dordor, P. Stevens, Journal of the European Ceramic Society 25 (2005) 2669–2672. [5] F. Mauvy, J.-M. Bassat, E. Boehm, J.-P. Manaud, P. Dordor, J.-C. Grenier. Solid State Ionics 158 (2003) 17– 28.