Synthesis and characterization of Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ nanofibers as cathodes for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

In this study, Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ (SSC) nanofiber materials were prepared by electrospinning for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). We presented an efficient strategy for fabricating fiber electrodes with a good three-dimensional network structure using PVP as a softening agent. The SSC nanofibers prepared by electrospinning method have good contact with the electrolyte and excellent electrochemical performance as SOFCs cathode material. Compared to the SSC nanoparticles cathode, the cathodic polarization resistance of SSC nanofiber cathode decreased by 32.3%, 27.9%, 27.7%, and 12.1% at 500 °C, 550 °C, 600 °C, and 650 °C, respectively. It is proposed that the high-voltage electric field can inhibit the Sr bias on the surface of the material, which favoring the migration of oxygen ions and electrons. Furthermore, in a single cell with SSC nanofiber electrodes, we achieved a maximum power density of 0.494 W/cm2 and 0.766 W/cm2 at 600 °C and 650 °C, respectively, which demonstrating good electrochemical output performance.