The fuel cells (FC) are distinguished as generating of distributed energy and are electrochemical devices of low environmental impact. These devices are fed by hydrogen and oxygen, having as main products, the electricity and the water. Fuel Cells are considered as a real option for the generation of electric energy distributed of many countries, due to possibility of modular construction, low noises level, potential for cogeneration, minimal siting and substantially higher conversion efficiency. Its applications have been detached in stationary and mobile segments, and portable units. In this context, the strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (La1-X SrX MnO3) is a ceramic material used as cathode in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Currently, the great interest of the researchers to this material has been the study of its characteristics, such as: good chemical and thermal stability, high catalytic activity in the oxygen reduction reaction, thermal expansion coefficient similar to the electrolyte (yttria stabilized zirconia) and high electrical conductivity. In this work is presented a contribution to the study of the chemical compositions and structural of La1-X SrX MnO3 with strontium concentrations (15 and 50 mol %) by the citrate technique. The resins have been characterized by Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Thermal Differential Analysis (TDA); and the powders have been characterized by Gas Absorption (LECO), X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF), Granulometry by Laser Scattering (CILAS), Gas Adsorption (BET), Picnometry by Gas Helium, X-Ray Diffractometry (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The characteristics of La1-X SrX MnO3 powders have been evaluated aiming at the use in the preparation of cathodic suspensions of thin films of the SOFCs.
Solid oxide fuel cell; strontium-doped lanthanum manganite; cathode; citrate technique
