Fabrication and performance investigation of high entropy perovskite (Sr0.2Ba0.2Bi0.2La0.2Pr0.2)FeO3 IT-SOFC cathode material

The high-entropy oxide (HEO) concept expands the design space of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathode materials. There is great potential for the development of HEO cathode materials that has not been fully explored, and the relationship between their chemical composition, grain size, and electrochemical performance is not yet fully understood. This experimental design involved the preparation of single-phase perovskite (Sr0.2Ba0.2Bi0.2La0.2Pr0.2)FeO3 HEO SOFC cathode materials, and we systematically studied the effects of synthesis temperature and microstructure on their electrochemical performance. The results show that as the synthesis temperature increases, structural transformations from multiphase to single-phase perovskite HEO can be observed. It exhibits excellent conductivity and electrochemical performance (the minimum polarization resistance reaches 0.033 Ω∙cm2, and the maximum power density is 664 mW∙cm−2). The single-phase perovskite HEO sample exhibits higher electrochemical performances compared to those of multiphase perovskite. Furthermore, it exhibits outstanding ability to suppress Sr segregation, chemical compatibility with Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9(SDC), and CO2 tolerance performance. The Distribution of relaxation time(DRT) analysis shows that as the synthesis temperature (1000–1150 ℃) increase, HEO single-phase formed and the oxygen atom reduction ability of the SBBLP samples was improved; and the adsorption of gas oxygen on the electrode surface is limited with porosity decreases. The work shows it is interesting and valuable to optimize the performance of SOFC cathode materials using a high entropy design.