Tuning the high temperature properties of PrSrCoO4 cathode with Cu2+ dopant for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

PrSrCo 1-x Cu x O 4+δ ( x  = 0.0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5) are synthesized by solid-state reaction method. The effects of Cu 2+ doping on electrical conductivity , thermal expansion, oxygen diffusion properties and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity are investigated. PrSrCo 1-x Cu x O 4+δ oxides crystallize in a single-phase tetragonal structure with I4/mmm space group. Partial substitution Co 3+ by Cu 2+ results the increase of electrical conductivity and decrease of thermal expansion coefficient . Introducing Cu 2+ promotes the formation of interstitial oxygen , accelerates the kinetics of oxygen transport, and significantly improves the electrocatalytic activity of ORR. The lowest area specific resistance (ASR) value of 0.08 Ω cm 2 is obtained for the PrSrCo 0.7 Cu 0.3 O 4+δ cathode at 700 °C in air. The ORR mechanism study demonstrates that Cu-doping (30%) promotes the charge transfer process. The reaction rate control step on PrSrCo 0.7 Cu 0.3 O 4+δ cathode is the dissociation and surface diffusion process of adsorbed molecular oxygen .