The application of ion beam analysis to mass transport studies in mixed electronic ionic conducting electrodes

The measurement of the mass transport and oxygen exchange in materials for SOFCs has been greatly aided by the use of ion beam analysis techniques. In particular this has focused on the use of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) to measure diffusion profiles of oxygen 18 in ceramics to determine the kinetics of the bulk transport of oxygen. A second ion beam technique, Low Energy Ion Scattering (LEIS) can provide important information about the composition of the outermost atomic layers of the same materials where the gas/solid oxygen exchange process is taking place. The application of the newer technique of LEIS to materials for air electrodes is discussed and the behaviour of some common perovskite materials is explored.