An Elementary Kinetic Model for the LSCF and LSCF-CGO Electrodes of Solid Oxide Cells: Impact of Operating Conditions and Degradation on the Electrode Response

An elementary kinetic model was developed to predict the electrochemical response of porous LSCF and LSCF-CGO electrodes. The model was validated thanks to experiments performed on symmetrical cells using a three-electrode setup. After the model calibration on polarization curves, it has been shown that the model is able to simulate accurately the experimental impedance diagram at OCP and under polarization without additional fitting. Moreover, the evolution of the electrode polarization resistance with the oxygen partial pressure is well reproduced by the model. The electrodes reaction mechanism was thoroughly analyzed and it has been shown that the transition from the bulk path to the surface path depends on the temperature, the polarization and the oxygen partial pressure. The rate-determining steps for the LSCF electrode have been identified at OCP as function of the oxygen partial pressure. Finally, a sensitivity analysis has been performed to study the impact of LSCF demixing on the electrode performances. For a given decomposition, it has been highlighted that the surface passivation would be more impacting than the decrease of the ionic conductivity. Moreover, the impact of the LSCF decomposition would be more detrimental for the electrode performances evaluated in electrolysis mode.