The greatest challenge to improve SOCF (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) development is to decrease polarization and ohmic concentration resistances mainly for the cathode. One effective alternative is the introduction of a functional cathode layer between the electrolyte and the conventional cathode. This functional cathode layer is a composite constituted by the electrolyte and cathode materials, in this case, yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and lanthanum doped strontium (LSM). This layer improves the contact between the cathode and the electrolyte decreasing the ohmic concentration polarization due to the increasing of triple contact points (TPB) in the bulk concentration. In this work, two half cells were prepared: the first one is constituted by a functional cathode film (50% in weight), and a collecting current layer (LSM) both deposited on a YSZ pellet. The second half cell is composed by a LSM cathode layer deposited on the YSZ Tosoh pellet. The electric study has been realized by Impedance Spectroscopy varying the temperature from 700 to 900 ºC. The two half cells resistance decreased with increasing the temperature, and it has noted that the half cell with the functional cathode layer presented the lowest resistance. After annealing at 750 °C for 3 days, the sample without the functional cathode layer presented additional half circles in IS diagrams characterized as resistances due to the bad electrolyte/ electrode adherence. This phenomenon has been confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
LSM; Impedance Spectroscopy; functional cathode
