Performance Variability of La(Sr)FeO[sub 3] SOFC Cathode with Pt, Ag, and Au Current Collectors

This investigation details relatively short-term performance characteristics (in particular cathode conditioning and degradation) of anode-supported SOFCs utilizing cathodes with platinum, silver, or gold current collectors. Conditioning or degradation characteristics were found to be highly dependant on the current collector used. An additional area of study considered transient cell behavior following rest periods at open-circuit voltage (OCV, zero current). Three types of behavior were observed; ( i ) decreased performance after OCV hold, ( ii ) increased performance after OCV hold, and ( iii ) no discernible change. The type of transient behavior was found to be dependent on the noble metal current collector utilized and the time at which the transient behavior was assessed. Longer testing times indicated more pronounced transient characteristics.