Combustion synthesis and characterization of Ln1−xMxCr0.9Ni0.1O3 (Ln = La and/or Nd; M = Sr and/or Ca; x ≤ 0.25) perovskites for SOFCs anodes

A series of chromite perovskites with the general formula Ln1−xMxCr0.9Ni0.1O3 (Ln = La and/or Nd; M = Sr and/or Ca; x ≤ 0.25) has been prepared by three combustion synthesis routes using a different combustible substance each time: glycine, urea and sucrose. In order to isolate the effect of divalent dopant concentration from the A cation steric effects, the whole group has a fixed mean A cation radius, < rA> ≈ 1.22 Å and cation size disorder, σ2(rA) ≈ 0.0001 Å2, but variable doping x. Their crystal structure, microstructure, electrical properties and expansion coefficients have been investigated on the basis of their possible use as anode materials for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). Cell parameters, grain sizes, expansion coefficients and conductivities all are found to be dependent on x and the combustible substance used. The most interesting relationship is the negative dependence of the conductivity with x under H2 atmosphere: conductivity decreases with doping which is the opposite to the expected behavior for a p-type doped perovskites and has not been reported before.