A Highly Efficient and Robust Perovskite Anode with Iron–Palladium Co-exsolutions for Intermediate-Temperature Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells

The low performance and insufficient catalytic activity of perovskite anodes hinder their further application in intermediate-temperature solid-oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). A novel La 0.8 Sr 0.2 Fe 0.9 Nb 0.1 Pd 0.04 O 3− δ (LSFNP) anode material has been developed with Fe–Pd co-exsolutions for IT-SOFCs. Fe 0 and Pd 0 metallic nanoparticles are confirmed to exsolve on the surface of the perovskite anode during operation under a hydrogen atmosphere. The introduced Pd exsolutions promote the charge-transfer process slightly and the H 2 -adsorption ability of the La 0.8 Sr 0.2 Fe 0.9 Nb 0.1 O 3− δ (LSFN) parent anode significantly, as metallic Pd is a conductor with excellent catalytic activity and an absorber of hydrogen that can absorb a large amount of H 2 by forming unstable chemical bonds. A single cell with the LSFNP anode exhibits high output performance (maximum power density of 287.6 mW cm −2 at T =800 °C by using humidified H 2 as the fuel), excellent redox stability, and considerable coking and sulfur tolerances. After the introduction of Pd exsolutions, the increase in the electrochemical performance is more significant under low H 2 concentrations and at low temperatures with a maximum power density ratio of the LSFNP anode cell/LSFN anode cell reaching 18 under 5 % H 2 /argon at T =650 °C. Pd-decorated LSFNP is a high-performance, redox-stable, coking-tolerant, and sulfur-tolerant anode material for IT-SOFCs, making Pd exsolution a reliable nanodecoration strategy to improve the low kinetics of perovskite anodes. Graphical Ex marks the spot : The La 0.8 Sr 0.2 Fe 0.9 Nb 0.1 Pd 0.04 O 3− δ (LSFNP) anode material with Fe–Pd co-exsolutions for intermediate-temperature solid-oxide fuel cells is prepared. The exsolved Fe 0 and Pd 0 co-exsolutions promote the charge-transfer process and H 2 -adsorption ability of the La 0.8 Sr 0.2 Fe 0.9 Nb 0.1 Pd 0.04 O 3-δ (LSFNP) anode. LSFNP anode exhibits high performance, good redox-stability, good coking and sulfur tolerance. A maximum power density of 287.6 mW cm −2 is obtained at 800 °C using humidified H 2 as the fuel. SDC=Sm 0.2 Ce 0.8 O 2− δ .