Highly Porous Cathode Catalyst Layer Structures for Flexible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Applications in Vehicles

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode having a yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) structure. The YSZ structure is in contact with a solid electrolyte layer. A lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM) structure is deposited on the YSZ structure to form a composite cathode. The cathode includes a catalyst layer. The catalyst layer is a mesoporous nanoionic catalyst material integrated with the YSZ and LSM structures. Alternatively, or in addition to, the mesoporous nanoionic catalyst material may be coated onto the YSZ and LSM structures or embedded into the YSZ and LSM structures. The mesoporous nanoionic catalyst material may form an interconnected fibrous network.