Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: Microstructure of Nanoscaled La 0.6 Sr 0.4 CoO 3‐ δ Cathodes for Intermediate‐Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (Adv. Energy Mater. 2/2011)

• Published in: Advanced energy materials 2011-03, Vol.1 (2), p.138-138
• Main Authors: Dieterle, Levin, Bockstaller, Pascal, Gerthsen, Dagmar, Hayd, Jan, Ivers‐Tiffée, Ellen, Guntow, Uwe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1614-6832; 1614-6840
• DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201190006

Nanocrystalline La 1‐ x Sr x CoO 3‐ δ (LSC) thin films with a nominal Sr‐content of x = 0.4 were deposited on Ce 0.9 Gd 0.1 O 1.95 electrolyte substrates using a low temperature sol‐gel process. The structural and chemical properties of the LSC thin films were studied after thermal treatment, which included a calcination step and a variable, extended annealing time at 700 °C or 800 °C. Transmission electron microscopy combined with selected‐area electron diffraction, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectrometry, and scanning transmission electron microscopy tomography was applied for the investigation of grain size, porosity, microstructure, and analysis of the local chemical composition and element distribution on the nanoscale. The area specific resistance ( ASR ) values of the thin film LSC cathodes, which include the lowest ASR value reported so far ( ASR chem = 0.023 Ωcm 2 at 600 °C) can be interpreted on the basis of the structural and chemical characterization.