Catalytic and Electrochemical Properties of Doped Lanthanum Chromites as New Anode Materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Defective perovskites contained in the general formula La(Sr)Cr(Ru,Mn)O_3–δ are successfully synthesized by spray pyrolysis. Powders of high phase purity are obtained after annealing, and they are used to prepare homogeneous films by spray printing. From a catalytic point of view for the methane steam reforming, these powdered perovskites do not generate a carbon deposit. Catalytic results, focused on doped ruthenium perovskites, confirm that the insertion of ruthenium in the structure of the lanthanum chromite presents a real benefit for the methane steam reforming. The electrochemical properties of La(Sr)CrO_3–δ, either pure and doped with manganese, show that the perovskite films can be potential electrodes, depending on their doping, for hydrogen anodic oxidation in solid oxide fuel cells.