Y and Nb-doped SrTiO3 as a mixed conducting anode for solid oxide fuel cells

A compound having a formula II

• (Sr1-1.5xM1x)1-y/2Ti1-yM2yO3-δ II
• wherein M1 is a yttrium (Y3+) dopant metal atom replacing some strontium atoms on a strontium sublattice, x is a mole percent of said dopant atoms M1 on the strontium sublattice and 0<x≦0.04, and M2 is a niobium (Nb5+) dopant metal atom replacing some titanium atoms on a titanium sublattice, y is a mole percent of said dopant atoms M2 on the titanium sublattice and 0<y≦0.2 and 0<δ≦0.7.

A solid oxide fuel cell, comprising;

• a laminate of a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte sandwiched between said cathode and anode, said anode comprising a compound of general formula (Sr1-1.5xM1x)1-y/2Ti1-yM2yO3 I, wherein M1 is a yttrium (Y3+) dopant metal atom replacing some strontium atoms on a strontium sublattice, x is a mole percent of said dopant atoms M1 on the strontium sublattice and 0<x≦0.04, and M2 is a niobium (Nb5+) dopant metal atom replacing some titanium atoms on a titanium sublattice, y is a mole percent of said dopant atoms M2 on the titanium sublattice and 0<y≦y≦0.2.

A process for producing a compound of formula I

• (Sr1-1.5xM1x)1-y/2Ti1-yM2yO3 [I]
• wherein M1 is a yttrium (Y3+) dopant metal atom replacing some strontium atoms on a strontium sublattice, x is a mole percent of said dopant atoms M1 on the strontium sublattice and 0<x≦0.04, and M2 is a niobium (Nb3+) dopant metal atom replacing some titanium atoms on a titanium sublattice, y is a mole percent of said dopant atoms M2 on the titanium sublattice and 0<y≦0.2, comprising, replacing some strontium atoms on a strontium sublattice of a compound of formula SrTiO3 by a yttrium (Y3+) dopant metal atom M1 and replacing some titanium atoms on a titanium sub-lattice by a niobium (Nb5+) dopant metal atom M2, to balance the charge difference of partially substituting Y3+ for Sr2+ and Nb5+ for Ti4+, and adjusting the stoichiometric ratios of A site elements (Sr2+, Y3+) and B site elements (Ti4+, Nb5+) to match the electrically neutral condition under oxidation atmosphere.