@article{Wan2026, 
author = {Bofeng Wan and Tao Liu and Yinlin Chang and Min Fu and Zetian Tao and Hong Zhou},
title = {Thermodynamic NiO exsolution for durable and efficient cobalt-free cathodes in proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells},
year = {2026},
journal = {Journal of Advanced Ceramics},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {9221199},
keywords = {solid oxide fuel cells, proton conductor, ion topology engineering, cobalt-free cathodes},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/JAC.2025.9221199},
doi = {10.26599/JAC.2025.9221199},
abstract = {Developing high-performance cathodes is critical to advancing proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (PCFCs). However, their practical application remains constrained by sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics and the instability of nanoscale catalytic features in oxidizing environments. Here, a cobalt-free nanocomposite cathode is rationally engineered via a Mo-induced ion-topological strategy based on the perovskite oxide BaCe0.26Ni0.1Fe0.64O3−δ (BCNF10). Through the introduction of B-site Mo, the spontaneous exsolution of highly dispersed NiO nanoparticles significantly enhances surface oxygen exchange kinetics and leads to the formation of stable and well-defined heterointerfaces. The single cell with the optimized composite cathode Ba0.95Ce0.25Ni0.1Mo0.05Fe0.6O3−δ (BCNMF10) achieves an outstanding maximum power density (MPD) of 2002 mW·cm−2 at 700 °C, accompanied by excellent long-term operational durability and humidity tolerance. First-principles calculations further elucidate the underlying mechanism, revealing a thermodynamically favorable, defect-mediated pathway for NiO formation and underscore the crucial role of dopant‒defect interactions in tailoring surface reactivity. This work provides a robust and scalable framework for the development of durable, high-efficiency cathodes for next-generation PCFCs.}
}