Effectively Promoting Activity and Stability of a MnCo₂O₄-Based Cathode by In Situ Constructed Heterointerfaces for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

The development of multiphase composite electrocatalysts plays a key role in achieving the efficient and durable operation of intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). Herein, a self-assembled nanocomposite is developed as the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst for IT-SOFCs through a coprecipitation method. The nanocomposite is composed of a doped (Mn0.6Mg0.4)0.8Sc0.2Co2O4 (MMSCO) spinel oxide (84 wt %), an orthorhombic perovskite phase (11.3 wt %, the spontaneous combination of PrO2 additives and spinel), and a minor Sc2O3 phase (4.7 wt %). The surface of the (Mn0.6Mg0.4)0.8Sc0.2Co2O4 phase is activated by the self-assembled nanocoating with many heterogeneous interfaces. Thence, the ORR kinetics is obviously accelerated and an area-specific resistance (ASR) of ∼0.11 Ω cm2 is obtained at 750 °C. Moreover, a single cell with the cathode shows a peak power density (PPD) of 1144.1 mW cm–2 at 750 °C, much higher than that of the cell with the MnCo2O4 cathode (456.2 mW cm–2). An enhanced stability of ∼120 h (0.8 A cm–2, 750 °C) is also achieved, related to the reduced thermal expansion coefficient (13.9 × 10–6 K–1). The improvement in ORR kinetics and stability can be attributed to the refinement of grains, the formation of heterointerfaces, and the enhancement of mechanical compatibility.