In-situ neutron diffraction study of cathode/electrolyte interactions under electrical load and elevated temperature

Fuel cells are proposed as a future energy conversion technology that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the point of operation due to their ability to produce electrical energy from non-hydrocarbon fuel sources. The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) is amongst the most efficient fuel cell types, however, due to the high cell operating temperature cation diffusion occurs between the different components of the cell, resulting in rapid degradation of the power output. In this paper we investigate cation migration between the promising intermediate temperature-SOFC cathode La_1−xSr_xCo_1−yFe_yO_3−δ (LSCF) and a fluorite type electrolyte Ce_1−xPr_xO_2−δ (CPO). The crystallographic structure evolution and degradation of the materials were studied by neutron diffraction in-situ under pseudo-operating conditions, i.e. at 600 °C under air and under electrical polarisation. The lattice parameter and cation occupancy evolution were analysed by Rietveld refinement as a function of time and applied potential. The materials were found to be stable, as no impurity formation, lattice parameter or site occupancy evolution was observed during the experiment. However La migration prior to the experiment from LSCF to CPO was observed as well as B-site vacancies in LSCF.