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

In this study, Sm 0.5 Sr 0.5 CoO 3-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/cm 2 and 0.766 W/cm 2 at 600 °C and 650 °C, respectively, which demonstrating good electrochemical output performance.