A promising strontium and cobalt-free air electrode Pr1-xCaxFeO3-δ for solid oxide electrolysis cell

A promising strontium and cobalt-free ferrite Pr 1-x Ca x FeO 3-δ (PCF, x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) has been synthesized successfully by glycine-nitrate combustion method and used as the air electrode of solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) for steam electrolysis. The crystal structure and electricity conductivity of PCF are investigated in detail. According to the conductivity test, Pr 0.6 Ca 0.4 FeO 3-δ (PCF64) with higher conductivity is selected as the air electrode to preparing the single cell with structure of PCF64|GDC|SSZ|YSZ-NiO. Under SOFC mode, the maximum power density of the single cell is 462.93 mW cm −2 at 800 °C with hydrogen as fuel. Under SOEC mode, the current density reaches 277.14 mA cm −2 and the corresponding hydrogen production rates is 115.84 mL cm −2  h −1 at 800 °C at 1.3 V. In the 10 h short-term stability test, the cell shows good electrolysis stability.