Review on core-shell structured cathode for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract Lowing the operating temperature can greatly promote the commercialization of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), however it also results in a significant increase in cell impedance, which is the bottleneck for the development of intermediate temperature SOFCs (IT-SOFCs). Major hurdles in developing conventional single-phase cathode materials for IT-SOFCs are poor electrochemical performance or durability. The investigation of new cathode materials or the optimization of the existing cathodes is imminent for the development of IT-SOFCs. Among them, core-shell structured cathode can combine the advantages of multiple components, and has been demonstrated with excellent oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic activity and long-term stability. This review summarizes the recent research progress on core-shell structured cathode for enhanced electrochemical performance, long-term stability, CO2 tolerance and Cr tolerance. Furthermore, the future directions are discussed from a perspective of materials design, preparation and characterization. Core-shell structured cathodes are expected to play an increasingly critical role in the commercialization of IT-SOFCs.