Properties of Copper Doped Neodymium Nickelate Oxide as Cathode Material for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Mixed ionic and electronic conducting K2NiF4-type oxide, Nd2Ni1-xCuxO4+δ (x=0~1) powders were synthesized by solid state reaction technique and solid oxide fuel cells consisting of a Nd2Ni1-xCuxO4+δ cathode, a Ni-YSZ anode and ScSZ as an electrolyte were fabricated. The effect of copper substitution for nickel on the electrical and electrochemical properties was examined. Small amount of copper doping (x=0.2) resulted in the increased electrical conductivity and decreased polarization resistance. It appears that this phenomenon was associated with the high mean valence of nickel and copper and the resulting excess oxygen (δ). It was found that power densities of the cell with the Nd2Ni1-xCuxO4+δ (x=0.1 and 0.2) cathode were higher than that of the cell with the Nd2NiO4+δ cathode.