Analysis of ceramic layers for solid oxide fuel cells by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used for the direct analysis of ceramic layers [La0.65Sr0.3MnO3 and yttria-stabilized ZrO2(YSZ)] forming parts of solid oxide fuel cells. For the quantitative determination of trace element concentrations calibration was performed with matrix-matched synthetic laboratory standards, prepared specially for these ceramic materials. With a few exceptions the regression coefficients of the calibration curves were better than 0.995 (n= 15). The detection limits for most elements are in the range 0.1–2 µg g–1 in La0.65Sr0.3MnO3 and YSZ. Investigations on ceramics, doped with trace elements with concentrations of some 100 µg g–1, showed lower concentrations of the elements than were added, owing to the sintering process at temperatures of 1400 °C. In non-doped YSZ layers different elements were determined at concentrations from sub-µg g–1 to hundreds of µg g–1. The results were found to be in good agreement with those obtained by other methods (ICP-MS and radiofrequency glow discharge mass spectrometry).