An easy and innovative method based on spray-pyrolysis deposition to obtain high efficiency cathodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

A novel electrode preparation method based on the spray-pyrolysis deposition of metal nitrate solutions onto a porous electrolyte scaffold is proposed. This method has been proved with different cathode materials, usually used in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, such as La0.8Sr0.2MnO3−δ and La0.6Sr0.4Co1−xFexO3−δ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.8 and 1). The electrode microstructure is composed by two layers; the inner layer is a porous electrolyte scaffold homogeneously coated by cathode nanoparticles, providing an increased number of triple phase boundary sites for oxygen reduction, whereas, the top layer is formed by only cathode nanoparticles and acts mainly as a current collector. Polarization resistance values as low as 0.07 and 1.0 Ω cm2 at 600 and 450 °C, respectively, are obtained at open circuit voltage. This alternative approach has several advantages with respect to the traditional wet infiltration method for large area electrode fabrication, such as higher reproducibility, shorter preparation time in a single thermal deposition step, and easy implementation at industrial scale as a continuous process. [Display omitted] •Electrode preparation method based on spray-pyrolysis deposition on a porous scaffold.•Polarization resistances as low as 0.07 Ω cm2 were obtained at 600 °C.•The electrodes exhibited high conductivity.•Simple and reproducible method for implementation at industrial scale.