Elucidating the in-situ Integration Mechanisms of Graphene Oxide with BSCF Perovskite for Intermediate-Temperature SOFC Cathodes
M. Darus, M. Asri Idris, Nur Farhana M. Yunos, N.A. Mohd Noor, A.A. Samat
Abstract. This study investigates the in-situ thermal integration of graphene oxide (GO) into Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.2Fe0.8O3−δ (BSCF) perovskite cathodes under a nitrogen atmosphere, aiming to enhance intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (IT-SOFC) performance. Structural and surface analyses using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveal that GO undergoes partial reduction to rGO, forming a conductive scaffold that modulates the BSCF matrix. Raman spectra confirmed the evolution of distinct D (~1340 cm-1) and G (~1590 cm-1) bands under reducing conditions, with the highest I_D/I_G ratio observed in N2-H2 atmosphere, indicating efficient GO reduction and restoration of sp2 graphitic domains. In contrast, composites sintered in air showed only perovskite lattice vibrations, confirming suppression of rGO survival. Complementary XPS analysis demonstrated that rGO incorporation promotes oxygen vacancy formation, stabilizes Co3+ and Fe2+ states, and alters A-site cation environments, as evidenced by binding energy shifts in Ba 3d and Sr 3d spectra. Notably, the Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio increased from ~0.69 in pristine BSCF to ~1.04 in the composite, indicating a redox shift facilitated by the modified electronic environment introduced through rGO incorporation. The O 1s spectra showed intensified adsorbed and chemisorbed oxygen peaks (~531.7 eV and ~533.7 eV), confirming enhanced surface reactivity. These modifications collectively suggest improved oxygen ion mobility and potential impact on conductivity. Overall, this work clarifies the integration mechanism of rGO in perovskite oxides and provides mechanistic insights into the design of next-generation IT-SOFC cathodes.
Keywords
IT-SOFC, BSCF, Reduced-Graphene Oxide, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Binding Energy Shifts
Published online 1/15/2026, 7 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: M. Darus, M. Asri Idris, Nur Farhana M. Yunos, N.A. Mohd Noor, A.A. Samat, Elucidating the in-situ Integration Mechanisms of Graphene Oxide with BSCF Perovskite for Intermediate-Temperature SOFC Cathodes, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 60, pp 76-82, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644903971-11
The article was published as article 11 of the book Frontiers of Chemical and Materials Engineering
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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