High proton conduction in grain-boundary-free yttrium-doped barium zirconate films grown by pulsed laser deposition

Reducing the operating temperature in the 500-750 degrees C range is needed for widespread use of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Proton-conducting oxides are gaining wide interest as electrolyte materials for this aim. We report the fabrication of BaZr(0.8)Y(0.2)O(3-delta) (BZY) proton-conducting electrolyte thin films by pulsed laser deposition on different single-crystalline substrates. Highly textured, epitaxially oriented BZY films were obtained on (100)-oriented MgO substrates, showing the largest proton conductivity ever reported for BZY samples, being 0.11 S cm(-1) at 500 degrees C. The excellent crystalline quality of BZY films allowed for the first time the experimental measurement of the large BZY bulk conductivity above 300 degrees C, expected in the absence of blocking grain boundaries. The measured proton conductivity is also significantly larger than the conductivity values of oxygen-ion conductors in the same temperature range, opening new potential for the development of miniaturized SOFCs for portable power supply.