In situ CuxO nanodecoration via rapid sputtering for tailoring surface nanostructure of oxygen electrodes

A rapid in-situ nanodecoration strategy is developed to enhance the durability of nanostructured La 0 . 6 Sr 0 . 4 CoO 3- δ (LSC) cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells. Cu nanoparticles (∼5 nm) are deposited onto nanoporous PLD-grown LSC surfaces via magnetron sputtering and subsequently oxidized to Cu x O under 500 °C operating conditions. Initial electrochemical performance, including power density and polarization resistance, remains comparable between decorated and undecorated cells. However, the undecorated cathode exhibits rapid degradation, with resistance increasing from 1.6 to 3.25 Ω cm 2 over 23 h. In contrast, the Cu x O-decorated cathode stabilizes after an initial conditioning period, maintaining a resistance of 1.75 Ω cm 2 . The Cu nanoparticles retain their size during oxidation, indicating morphological stability. Constant-voltage operation reveals a >58% enhancement in cur…