Synthesis and Characterization of Strontium-doped Lanthanum Cobaltite Cathode Material Prepared by a Modified Combined Complexing Method

摘要

A potential candidate for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (IT-SOFC) cathode material which is strontium-doped lanthanum cobaltite, La_(0.6)Sr_(0.4)CoO_(3-α)(LSCO) has been synthesized by a complexing method. Citric acid (CA) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) were used as a combined chelating agent and ethylene glycol (EG) was employed as surfactant. The obtained powder was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). TGA results showed the thermal decomposition of the precursor gel was completed at 700°C. A single perovskite phase of LSCO with cubic structure was obtained at calcination temperature of 1000°C with heating/cooling rate of 10°C min~(-1) as confirmed by XRD analysis. SEM result revealed that the morphology of the powder was spherical in shape with diameter ranging from 250 to 650 nm. Apparently, the bulk sample consists of almost homogeneous and identical particles.