Enhanced Cathode Performance in Pr0.5Sr0.5FeO3−δ of Perovskite Catalytic Materials via Doping with VB Subgroup Elements (V, Nb, and Ta)

Perovskite-style materials are cathode systems known for their stability in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Pr0.5Sr0.5FeO3−δ (PSF) exhibits excellent electrode performance in perovskite cathode systems at high temperatures. Via VB subgroup metals (V, Nb, and Ta) modifying the B-site, the oxidation and spin states of iron elements can be adjusted, thereby ultimately adjusting the cathode’s physicochemical properties. Theoretical predictions indicate that PSF has poor stability, but the relative arrangement of the three elements on the B-site can significantly improve this material’s properties. The modification of Nb has a large effect on the stability of PSF cathode materials, reaching a level of −2.746 eV. The surface structure of PSF becomes slightly more stable with an increase in the percentage of oxygen vacancy structures, but the structural instability persists. Furthermore, the differential charge density distribution and adsorption state density of the three modified cathode materials validate our adsorption energy prediction results. The initial and final states of the VB subgroup metal-doped PSF indicate that PSFN is more likely to complete the cathode surface adsorption reaction. Interestingly, XRD and EDX characterization are performed on the synthesized pure and Nb-doped PSF material, which show the orthorhombic crystal system of the composite theoretical model structure and subsequent experimental components. Although PSF exhibits strong catalytic activity, it is highly prone to decomposition and instability at high temperatures. Furthermore, PSFN, with the introduction of Nb, shows greater stability and can maintain its activity for the ORR. EIS testing clearly indicates that Nb most significantly improves the cathode. The consistency between the theoretical predictions and experimental validations indicates that Nb-doped PSF is a stable and highly active cathode electrode material with excellent catalytic activity.