Synthesis and Characterization of La, Sc, Yb and Nd co-doped Gadolinium doped Cerium (GDC) Composite Electrolyte for IT-SOFC

Abstract

Composite based on gadolinium doped cerium (GDC) co-doped Lanthanum (La), Scandium (Sc), Ytterbium (Yb) were investigated as electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), namely GDC-La, GDC-Sc, GDC-Yb and GDC-Nd, respectively. The second co-doped La, Sc, Yb and Nd ensured the stability and high ionic conductivity of the GDC ceria-based electrolyte materials for SOFC. The GDC powder was synthesized via sol-gel technique. Then the La-GDC, Sc-GDC, Yb-GDC and GDC-Nd were subsequently prepared by mixing the GDC with La, Sc, Yb, and Nd respectively, through solid-state reaction in ballmill at 200rpm alumina balls. The composite electrolytes were then characterized in terms of its morphology, phase and thermal properties of the powders. Among the composite electrolytes investigated, GDC-Yb powder show higher purity and better dispersion than the others co-doped GDC. TGA analysis present that the addition of co-dopant led to improve thermal resistance and stability of solid electrolyte powders. The results confirm that GDC with co-dopant is promising alternative electrolyte for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFC).