Advanced Materials Letters

Abstract

In the present work, different synthesis methods i.e., sol-gel method, glycine-nitrate method and solid state route have been used to synthesize lanthanum strontium cobaltite (LSCO), which is utilized as cathode in low and intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Calcination temperature for LSCO has been determined by TGA. XRD, SEM, EDX and TEM have been used to assess the phase purity, crystallite size, morphology, distribution of constituent elements and particle size of synthesized LSCO material. Two-probe AC conductivity method has been used to calculate the ionic conductivity of LSCO in air environment between 400-800 °C. LSCO synthesized by sol-gel method provided highest ionic conductivity of 0.42 S/cm at 700 °C and lowest activation energy of 31.60 kJ/mol between 500 to 700 °C among all the methods. LSCO synthesized by sol-gel method gives lowest area specific resistance (ASR) of 3.52 Ω cm 2 at 800 °C for half-cell (LSCO/YDC). High ionic conductivity and low polarization resistance established LSCO synthesized by sol-gel method, as the potential cathode material.