Scientometric review of advancements in the development of high-performance cathode for low and intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells: Three decades in retrospect

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have the potential to replace conventional thermal power plants due to their high efficiency and low emission. As the activation loss of the cathode usually limits the SOFC performance, the development of high-performance and durable cathode materials has received extensive attention in the past few decades. It is therefore essential to keep track of the research progress to identify significant research gaps and future directions. In this study, we retrieved the bibliometric data of 1101 cutting-edge research articles focused on cathode development for SOFCs and conducted a scientometric review. Even though significant research in cathode development for intermediate to low temperature SOFCs started in the 1990s, significant growth in the research output appeared in the year 2000 and remarkably continued till 2010 before exhibiting a sinusoidal pattern. Overall, there is a record of average decadal progress in this research area. We found that only a small percentage of countries in the world (i.e., about 29%) are involved in the research for the development of intermediate to low temperature SOFC cathodes. A highlight of core assessment criteria for cathode developments is presented with a summary of the most recent articles (i.e., including those in 2021). This paper can help early-stage researchers, journal outlets, governments, funding authorities, and investors understand the current progress in this area and how close researchers are to a breakthrough that could lead to the commercialization of this emerging technology.