{
  "abstract": "Bridging the gap between the intrinsic electrocatalytic activity of cathode materials and their practical performance in proton-conducting fuel cells (PCFCs) requires a fundamental understanding of cation interdiffusion at the electrode-electrolyte interface. In this study, we investigate the cation diffusion and adhesion ability for Pr-based perovskite cathodes of Pr 0.5 Sr 0.5 Co 0.75 Fe 0.25 O 3−δ (PSCF), PrBaCo 1.5 Fe 0.5 O 5+δ (PBCF), and Ba/Sr co-doped PrBa 0.5 Sr 0.5 Co 1.5 Fe 0.5 O 5+δ (PBSCF) on a BaZr 0.1 Ce 0.7 Y 0.1 Yb 0.1 O 3−δ (BZCYYb) electrolyte. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that conventional 1000 °C adhesion process triggers irreversible cation interdiffusion across the interface, resulting in a severe lattice expansion in PSCF and PBCF of +0.5 % and +1.3 %, respectively, leading to the delamination of the cathode from the electrolyte. To eliminate these interfacial penalties and evaluate the intrinsic electrocatalytic activity, a 750 °C bonding process was employed. By suppressing this cation interdiffusion, the irreversible volume variations were constrained to approximately ±0.1%, achieving crack-free interfaces for all compositions. Evaluated under these ideal conditions, the Sr-substituted simple perovskite PSCF demonstrated the highest peak power density, exceeding the benchmark PBSCF. This performance fundamentally originates from its disordered framework (Pnma), which provides enhanced electron-donating capability, an enriched concentration of surface-active oxygen intermediates, and superior electrical conductivity for rapid bulk charge transfer during the oxygen reduction reaction. Our thermomechanical analysis also reveals that the Ba/Sr co-doped PBSCF uniquely utilizes interfacial cation interdiffusion to counterbalance contact-induced expansion, maintaining a continuous interface even at 1000 °C. This study establishes a dual strategy for advancing PCFCs: unlocking the intrinsic electrocatalytic potential of active cathodes by either suppressing interfacial cation mixing via low-temperature processing or utilizing it through interface-tailored A-site engineering for spontaneous strain neutralization.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Keerti M. Naik"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yoshihiro Yamazaki"
    },
    {
      "name": "Junji Hyodo",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5700-5791"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/brxgkkz9m8hnv.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15008175/v1",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "brxgkkz9m8hnv",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15008175/v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2505|Advancements in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204997503",
  "pdf_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/pdf/10.26434/chemrxiv.15008175/v1",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-01",
  "publisher": "American Chemical Society (ACS)",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/brxgkkz9m8hnv.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:17Z",
      "native_id": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15008175",
      "source": "chemrxiv",
      "url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15008175/v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:2505|Advancements in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells",
      "subfield": "electrochemistry-energy"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Controlling Interfacial Cation Interdiffusion to Unlock the Intrinsic Performance of Pr-Based PCFC Cathodes",
  "title_text": "Controlling Interfacial Cation Interdiffusion to Unlock the Intrinsic Performance of Pr-Based PCFC Cathodes",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:17Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/brxgkkz9m8hnv",
  "venue": "ChemRxiv",
  "versions": []
}