Cathode thickness-dependent tolerance to Cr-poisoning in solid oxide fuel cells

This work aimed to set new guidelines for the quantification of Cr accumulation in solid oxide fuel cell cathodes after operation, and enabled to pinpoint a diffusion-controlled tolerance to Cr-poisoning for increased cathode thickness; the additional cathode material decreases the deposition rate from Cr vapor species in the active layer. These experimentally based findings were obtained by direct comparison of cathode performances measured on a segmented test arrangement enabling the independent control of four cathodes, with different thicknesses, on an anode-support. The cathode thickness-dependent performance degradation was correlated to deliberate poisoning by volatile Cr species stemming from the test arrangement.