Study on Synthesis of Nano-Crystalline Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3 Cathode Material by Glycine-Nitrate Combustion Process for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Nano ceramic of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3 (BSCF) powders have been synthesized by glycine-nitrate combustion process using metal nitrates based chemicals for solid oxide fuel cells(SOFC) applications since these powders are considered to be more promising cathode materials for SOFC. Development of crystalline phases in the powders after heat treatments at various temperatures was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Single phase perovskites were obtained after heat treatment of the combustion synthesized BSCF nanopowders. Morphological properties of powders calcined at different temperatures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermogravimetry (TGA) plot shows that there is no weight loss after the temperature around 500oC indicating completion of combustion. The combustion synthesis is advantages over the solid state synthesis in terms of better compositional homogeneity and purity of the final product.