Conductivity and electrochemical characterization of PrFe_1-xNi_xO_3-δ at high temperature

PrFe(1-x)NixO(3)- (x=0.4-0.6) compounds were synthesized and characterized by powder XRD, electrical conductivity and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy on point electrodes on a Ce0.9Gd0.1O2-delta (CGO10) electrolyte. As a reference, the electrochemical performance of LaFe(0.4)AM(0.6)O(3-delta) was also measured. The main phase in the PrFe1-xNixO3-delta series was perovskite-type structure and belonged to the orthorhombic crystal system. The conductivities are fairly high, e.g. around 220 S cm(-1) at 873 K for the x = 0.4 compound. The electrochemical performance of the PrFe(1-x)NixO(3-delta) series is similar to that of La0.6Sr0.4Fe0.8Co0.2O3-delta, which is a good candidate as a cathode material for SOFCs operating at intermediate temperature. The electrochemical performance of LaFe0.4Ni0.6O3-delta was even higher than that of the PrFe1-xNixO3-delta, series and the polarization resistance was 0.14 Omega cm(2) at 1073 K measured on a point electrode. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.