Relating electrochemical performance measurements and surface analyses of Pr_2-xLa_xNiO_4+δ electrode materials

The anode in a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is often the rate-determining component, in terms of both device performance and degradation rates. In order to improve device characteristics, better electrode materials must be developed. Interstitial oxygen conducting electrodes, such as those in the A₂BO₄ Ruddlesden- Popper family, have been shown to perform well as anodes in SOECs. In this work, we characterize the electrode properties of Ruddlesden-Popper structured (Pr,La)₂NiO _4+δ electrode materials, and relate these electrochemical properties to the surface composition characterized by Low Energy Ion Scattering (LEIS) spectroscopy.