Current state-of-the-art solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and electrolysis cells (SOECs) frequently incorporate electrodes made of MIEC materials. SOFCs are unique among fuel cells in that negatively charged ions (O) are transported from the cathode to the anode across the electrolyte, making MIEC cathode materials critical to achieving high performance. These fuel cells operate with the following oxidation-reduction reaction:
: Anode Reaction: 2H + 2O → 2HO + 4e
: Cathode Reaction: O + 4e → 2O
: Overall Cell Reaction: 2H + O → 2HO
MIECs like lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF) are frequently the subject of modern fuel cell research, as they enable the reduction reaction to occur over the entire cathode surface area instead of only at the cathode/electrolyte interface.
One of the most commonly used oxygen electrode (cathode) materials is the H-MIEC LSM-YSZ, consisting of lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM) infiltrated onto a YO-doped ZrO scaffold. The LSM nanoparticles are deposited on the walls of the porous YSZ scaffold to provide an electronically conductive pathway and a high density of TPBs for the reduction reaction to occur.