Ni-Ba0.5Sr0.5Ce0.6Zr0.2Gd0.1Y0.1O3-Delta Anode Composites for Proton Conducting Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (H-SOFCs)
In this paper, we report the electrochemical properties of Ni-Ba<sub>0.5</sub>Sr<sub>0.5</sub>Ce<sub>0.6</sub>Zr<sub>0.2</sub>Gd<sub>0.1</sub>Y<sub>0.1</sub>O<sub>3-Delta</sub> (BSCZGY) anode composites in 3% H<sub>2</sub>O-H<sub>2</sub> for proton conducting solid oxide fuel cells (H-SOFCs). Ni-BSCZGY composites with volume ratio of 30:70, 40:60, and 50:50 were synthesised through mechanical mixing and combustion methods. In combustion method, auto-ignition step led to brown coloured ash, which was calcined at 1000 <sup>o</sup>C for 5 h to form NiO-BSCZGY powder. Screen-printing, co-firing and reduction process were used to prepare the symmetrical cell: Ni-BSCZGY/BSCZGY/Ni-BSCZGY. Ni50-BSCZGY anode exhibited the lowest polarisation resistance (Rp) of 0.8 Omega.cm<sup>2</sup> and 1.9 Omega.cm<sup>2</sup> at 710 <sup>o</sup>C under 3% H<sub>2</sub>O-H<sub>2</sub>, for both mechanically mixed and combustion methods, respectively.