Novel Sr1.95Fe1.4Co0.1Mo0.5O6-δ anode heterostructure for efficient electrochemical oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene by solid oxide electrolysis cells

The electrocatalytic conversion of ethane to ethylene is an important industrial process since ethylene is useful for the production of various chemical intermediates and polymers. However, this process often requires high temperatures. Metal-oxide heterogeneous interfaces constructed by in-situ exsolved process under reducing conditions would be favorable for promoting the catalyst activity, selectivity, and stability of ethane conversion to ethylene. Herein, Sr_1.95Fe_1.4Co_0.1Mo_0.5O_6-δ (abbreviated as SFCoM) was prepared as a novel anode material of solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) for green ethylene production by electrochemical oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane. After reduction, nano CoFe particles were in-situ exsolved on SFCoM oxides to form a nano alloy-oxide heterostructure (CoFe@SFCoM) with large numbers of reactive sites, relevant for improving the conversion rate of ethane and the yield of ethylene. At 800 °C, the single cell based on CoFe@SFCoM anode exhibited a current density of 1.89 A cm⁻² at 1.6 V with an ethane conversion rate of 36.4% and corresponding ethylene selectivity of 94.5%. After 50 h of testing, the electrolysis current density(∼0.5 A cm⁻²) and ethylene yield(∼18.43%) of the single cell did not change significantly, showing good stability. In sum, CoFe@SFCoM looks very promising for future use as a SOECs anode for the electro-catalytic conversion of ethane to ethylene.     

Synthesis and Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of Sm‐Doped Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6

Sr₂Fe_1.5Mo_0.5O₆ (SFM) is a mixed ionic and electronic conductor which can be used as both anode and cathode materials in intermediate‐temperature solid oxide fuel cell. By doping Sm into the Sr‐site, the electrical conductivity of SFM is enhanced effectively. The single cell with a configuration of Sr_1.8Sm_0.2Fe_1.5Mo_0.5O₆|La_0.8Sr_0.2Ga_0.83Mg_0.17O_2.815| Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Fe_0.2O₃ obtained maximum power densities of 459, 594, and 742 mW cm⁻² with H₂ as the fuel at 750, 800, and 850 °C, respectively. The results suggest that doping with Sm is a very promising way in enhancing the electrical conductivity of SFM and consequently can greatly improve its anode performance.     

Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6–δ – Zr0.84Y0.16O2–δ Materials as Oxygen Electrodes for Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells

The high‐temperature solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is one of the most promising devices for hydrogen mass production. To make SOEC suitable from an economical point of view, each component of the SOEC has to be optimized. At this level, the optimization of the oxygen electrode is of particular interest since it contributes to a large extent to the cell polarization resistance. The present paper is focused on an alternative oxygen electrode of Zr_0.84Y_0.16O_2–δ‐Sr₂Fe_1.5Mo_0.5O_6–δ (YSZ‐SFM). YSZ‐SFM composite oxygen electrodes were fabricated by impregnating the YSZ matrix with SFM, and the ion‐impregnated YSZ‐SFM composite oxygen electrodes showed excellent performance. For a voltage of 1.2 V, the electrolysis current was 223 mA cm⁻², 327 mA cm⁻² and 310 mA cm⁻² at 750 °C for the YSZ‐SFM10, YSZ‐SFM20, and YSZ‐SFM30 oxygen electrode, respectively. A hydrogen production rate as high as 11.46 NL h⁻¹ has been achieved for the SOEC with the YSZ‐SFM20 electrode at 750 °C. The results demonstrate that YSZ‐SFM fabricated by impregnating the YSZ matrix with SFM is a promising composite electrode for the SOEC.     

La0.5Sr0.5Fe0.9Mo0.1O3-δ-CeO2 anode catalyst for Co-Producing electricity and ethylene from ethane in proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells

A La_0.5Sr_0.5Fe_0.9Mo_0.1O_3-δ-CeO₂ (LSFM-CeO₂) composite was prepared by impregnating CeO₂ into porous La_0.5Sr_0.5Fe_0.9Mo_0.1O_3-δ perovskite and was used as an anode material for proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The maximum power densities of the BaZr_0.1Ce_0.7Y_0.2O_3-δ (BZCY) electrolyte-supported single cell with LSFM-CeO₂ as the anode reached 291 mW cm^?2 and 190 mW cm^?2 in hydrogen and ethane fuel at 750 °C, respectively, which are significantly higher than those of a single cell with only LSFM as the anode. Additionally, the ethylene selectivity and ethylene yield from ethane for the fuel cell at 750 °C were as high as 93.4% and 37.1%, respectively. The single cell also showed negligible degradation in performance and no carbon deposition during continuous operation for 22 h under an ethane fuel atmosphere. The improved electrochemical performance due to the impregnation of CeO₂ can be a result of enhanced electronic and ionic conductivity, abundant active sites, and a broad three-phase interface in the resultant composite anode. The LSFM-CeO₂ composite is believed to be a promising anode material for proton-conducting SOFCs for co-producing electricity and high-value chemicals from hydrocarbon fuels.     

Barium-doped Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6-δ perovskite anode materials for protonic ceramic fuel cells for ethane conversion

Protonic ceramic ethane fuel cells fed by hydrocarbon fuels are demonstrated to be effective energy conversion devices. However, their practical application is impeded by a lack of anode materials combining excellent catalytic activity with good chemical stability and anti-carbon deposition properties. In this work, in which Sr₂Fe_1.5Mo_0.5O_6-δ (SFM) double perovskite oxide is used as the matrix framework, catalytic activity toward H₂ and C₂H₆ oxidation is systematically investigated using Ba-doping. It is found that the concentration of the oxygen vacancy is gradually improved with increased Ba content to significantly enhance catalytic activity toward H₂ and C₂H₆ oxidation. From the series studied, Ba_0.6Sr_1.4Fe_1.5Mo_0.5O_6-δ exhibits the highest catalytic activity, while the power densities of the electrolyte-supported Ba_0.6SFM/BaCe_0.7Zr_0.1Y_0.2O_3-δ (BCZY)/La_0.58Sr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3-δ (LSCF)-Sm_0.2Ce_0.8O_2-δ (SDC) single cell reach 205 and 138 mW cm^–2 at 750°C in H₂ and C₂H₆, respectively. The ethane conversion rate of the experimental cell is shown to reach 38.4%, while simultaneously maintaining ethylene selectivity at 95%. Furthermore, the single cell exhibits no significant attenuation during stable operation for 20 h, as well as demonstrating excellent anti-coking performance. The proposed results suggest that Ba_0.6Sr_1.4Fe_1.5Mo_0.5O_6-δ represents a promising anode material for efficient hydrocarbon-related electrochemical conversion to realize the coproduction of ethylene and power in protonic ceramic ethane fuel cells.     

Boosting catalytic and CO2 adsorption ability by in situ Cu nanoparticle exsolution for solid oxide electrolysis cell cathode

Solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is recognized as an effective means to accomplish sustainable development since it is an efficient electrochemical technology for CO₂ emission reduction. However, the electrocatalytic reduction activity of the cathode for CO₂ restricts the development of SOEC. Herein, an A-site deficient perovskite Sr_1·9Fe_1·3Cu_0·2Mo_0·4Ti_0·1O_6-δ (SFCMT) was proposed as cathode material that can in situ exsolve uniform Cu nanoparticles. The exsolution of Cu increases the concentration of oxygen vacancies and provides abundant adsorption sites for CO₂, resulting in excellent electrochemical catalytic capacity. Cu@SFCMT-based single cells exhibit excellent electrolytic performance under pure CO₂, with current densities up to 3.21 A cm⁻² at 1.8 V and 800 °C and interface polarization resistance (Rp) as low as 0.20 Ω cm² at 800 °C. Furthermore, the current density changes slightly after the 140 h stability test at 1.2 V. Cu@SFCMT exhibits outstanding electrochemical activity and durability, making it a viable SOEC cathode material.     

Highly CO2RR activity and electrochemical performance of A-site deficient symmetrical electrode materials (La0.6Sr0.4)1−xFe0.8Ni0.2O3-δ for CO2 electrolysis

A-site deficient (La_0.6Sr_0.4)_1−xFe_0.8Ni_0.2O_3-δ (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1) perovskite oxide materials (LSFN100, LSFN95, and LSFN90) are evaluated as symmetrical electrode materials for CO₂ electrolysis. All three perovskite oxides display pure cubic perovskite structure. The introduction of A-site deficiency results in greater tendency of in-situ exsolution and stronger CO₂ adsorption capacity, which are verified by temperature-programmed reduction of H₂ and temperature-programmed desorption of CO₂. Furthermore, the current densities with LSNF90 symmetrical cell are 1.72, 1.18 and 0.72 A·cm⁻² under the applied voltage of 1.8 V at 850, 800 and 750 °C to electrolysis CO₂, respectively. Low polarization resistance of 0.186, 0.267 and 0.454 Ω·cm² is also observed under open circuit conditions at 850, 800 and 750 °C, respectively. A-site deficiency of perovskite materials reduces the activation energy of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR). Symmetrical cell with LSFN90 electrode shows good electrochemical performance and long-term stability for CO₂ electrolysis.     

Na+ doping activates and stabilizes layered perovskite cathodes for high-performance fuel cells

A highly active mixed conductive cathode is required for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) at reduced temperatures, which is one of the most important factors for their commercialization. Herein, we propose a Na⁺ doping strategy to activate and stabilize the triple-conducting (H⁺/O²⁻/e⁻) layered perovskite oxide of representative NdBa_0.5Sr_0.5Co_1.5Fe_0.5O_5+δ (NBSCF) for high-performance YSZ fuel cells. The results show that Na⁺ doping enhances the electrochemical properties of the NBSCF cathode, with polarization impedance decreasing from 0.105 to 0.080 Ω cm² at 750 °C and output power increasing from 946.05 to 1435.75 mW cm⁻² at 800 °C. Furthermore, high-temperature XRD (HT-XRD) and the oxygen temperature-programmed desorption (O₂-TPD) further confirm that Na⁺ doping can improve the structural stability of NBSCF. The single cell with a Na-doped NBSCF cathode showed no degradation of current density for more than 120 h at 700 °C and exhibited good stability. This work demonstrates the promise of Na⁺ doping for layered perovskite cathodes and an effective way to promote fuel cell performance.     

Tailoring the electrochemical reduction kinetics of dual-phase BaCe0.5Fe0.5O3-δ cathode via incorporating Mo for IT-SOFCs

The BaCe_0.5Fe_0.5O_3-δ (BCF) cathode consists of the ion-electron mixed conducting phase BaCe_0.15Fe_0.85O_3-δ (BCF1585) and the proton-conducting phase BaCe_0.85Fe_0.15O_3-δ (BCF8515). In this paper, the electrochemical performance is improved by incorporating the high valence element Mo into the BCF and applied to intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). High-temperature X-ray diffraction (HT-XRD) and O₂-temperature programmed desorption (O₂-TPD) results show that Mo doping enhances the structural stability of BCF. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results suggest that the introduction of Mo increases the amount of adsorbed oxygen and thus the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic activity. Compared to BCF, the polarization impedance of BaCe_0.5Fe_0.45Mo_0.05O_3-δ (BCFM) at 800 °C is 0.154 Ω·cm², a reduction of 22 %. Meanwhile, the BCFM output power at 800 °C is 778.01 mW·cm⁻², an improvement of 32.17 %, and maintains a stable current density after 250 h at 0.7 V. The results demonstrate that Mo doping is an effective strategy to enhance the electrochemical performance of BCF.     

Tuning Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ cathode to high stability and activity via Ce-doping for ceramic fuel cells

Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3-δ (BSCF) fuel-cell cathode stands out because of its ultrahigh ionic conductivity and excellent electrocatalytic activity, but it is still very subject to instability. Here, a new strategy of Ce doping is proposed to boost the stability and activity of the BSCF cathode. A one-pot combustion method is employed to synthesize (Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)_1–xCe_xCo_0.8Fe_0.2O_3-δ (x=0–0.2) cathodes. Both BSCF and (Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)_0.9Ce_0.1Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3-δ have a cubic perovskite structure. (Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)_0.8Ce_0.2Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3-δ shows two phases of cubic perovskite and fluorite ceria. Proper Ce doping can boost the electrical conductivity of BSCF, and can dramatically reduce the polarization resistance of BSCF cathode. Ce doping significantly improved BSCF cathode long-term stability by 160 h. Moreover, ten-percent Ce doping in BSCF highly improves single-cell output performance from 516.33 mW cm^?2 to 629.75 mW cm^?2 at 750 °C. The results reveal that Ce doping as a potential strategy for enhancing the stability and activity of BSCF cathode is promising.     

Comparative study on the electrochemical performance of Sr(Ti0.3Fe0.7)O3-δ fuel electrode in different fuel gases for solid oxide electrochemical cells

Sr(Ti_1-xFe_x)O_3?δ (STF) perovskite has been developed as one of the alternatives to Nickel-base fuel electrodes for solid oxide electrochemical cells (SOCs) that can provide good tolerance to redox cycling and fuel impurities. Recent results on STF fuel electrodes present excellent electrochemical performance and outstand stability both under H₂ fuel cell mode and H₂O electrolysis mode, however, the electrochemical characteristics in other fuel gases, such as CO, CO–H₂ mixture, CH₄, and CO–CO₂ mixture have not been investigated. Herein, we report the electrochemical performance of Sr(Ti_0.3Fe_0.7)O_3?δ fuel electrode on La_0.8Sr_0.2MnO_3?δ-Zr_0.92Y_0.16O_2?δ (LSM-YSZ) oxygen electrode supported SOCs with thin YSZ electrolyte using different fuel gases. At 800 °C, the peak power density slightly decreased from 0.9 W/cm² in wet H₂ to 0.68 W/cm² in wet CO under fuel cell mode. However, the cell only showed a peak power density of 0.27 W/cm² at 800 °C in wet CH₄, reaching 0.75 W/cm² at 850 °C, when the open-circuit voltage increased from 0.9 V to 1.02 V. STF fuel electrode exhibited much worse CO₂ electrolysis performance than steam electrolysis, especially in high CO₂ concentration due to the increased ohmic resistance and electrode polarization resistance.     

Investigation the sodium storage kinetics of H1.07Ti1.73O4@rGO composites for high rate and long cycle performance

Insertion type material has been attracted plenty of attentions as the anode of sodium ion batteries (SIBs) due to the low volume change induced long cycle stability. H_1.07Ti_1.73O₄ (HTO), a two-dimensional layered material, is a new insertion type anode material for SIBs reported in this study. Layered HTO composites were decorated with rGO nanosheets via an electrostatic assembly method followed by hydrothermal treatment. When adapted as the anode material of SIBs, HTO@rGO composite exhibits an enhanced sodium ion storage behavior, including high rate capability and long cycle stability. It can deliver high capacities of 142.8 and 66.7 mA h g⁻¹ at 100 and 10 000 mA g⁻¹, respectively. Moreover, it can keep a capacity of 75.1 mA h g⁻¹ at 5 A g⁻¹ after even 5000 cycles, corresponding to a high capacity retention of 70.8% (0.0058% capacity decay per cycle). HTO exhibits a small volume expansion of 19.6% by in-situ transmission electron microscopy (in-situ TEM). The diffusion coefficient of sodium ions is increased from 1.77 × 10⁻¹⁴ cm² s⁻¹ in HTO composites to 4.80 × 10⁻¹⁴ cm² s⁻¹ in HTO@rGO composites. Our designed and synthesized HTO@rGO provides a new route for high rate and long cycle stable SIBs anode materials.     

A high-performance intermediate-to-low temperature protonic ceramic fuel cell with in-situ exsolved nickel nanoparticles in the anode

Protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) show great potential in terms of lowering the operation temperature and overall cost of solid oxide fuel cells based on the high ionic conductivity and low activation energy of proton-conducting electrolytes in intermediate or low temperature environments. However, a significant reduction in anode activity with decreasing temperature hinders the broad application of PCFCs. In this study, a novel anode material Ni–Ba_0.96(Ce_0.66Zr_0.1Y_0.2Ni_0.04)O_3-δ (Ni-BCZNY) with in-situ exsolved Ni nanoparticles is developed. This material exhibits extremely high activity in PCFCs in intermediate and low temperatures. A cell fabricated with this anode material achieves a power density of 912 mW cm⁻² and polarization resistance of 0.04 Ω cm² in wet H₂/air at 700 °C. Additionally, the microstructure, electrochemical performance, electrochemical impedance, and electrode processes of a Ni-BCZNY cell are analyzed in detail. The results indicate that performance enhancements can be attributed to the Ni nanoparticle exsolution promoting charge transfer and hydrogen dissociative adsorption.     

Oxygen ionic transport in SrFe1−yAlyO3−δ and Sr1−xCaxFe0.5Al0.5O3−δ ceramics

The oxygen permeability of mixed-conducting Sr_1−xCa_xFe_1−yAl_yO_3−δ (x=0–1.0; y=0.3–0.5) ceramics at 850–1000 °C, with an apparent activation energy of 120–206 kJ/mol, is mainly limited by the bulk ionic conduction. When the membrane thickness is 1.0 mm, the oxygen permeation fluxes under pO₂ gradient of 0.21/0.021 atm vary from 3.7×10⁻¹⁰ mol s⁻¹ cm⁻² to 1.5×10⁻⁷ mol s⁻¹ cm⁻² at 950 °C. The maximum solubility of Al³⁺ cations in the perovskite lattice of SrFe_1−yAl_yO_3−δ is approximately 40%, whilst the brownmillerite-type solid solution formation range in Sr_1−xCa_xFe_0.5Al_0.5O_3−δ system corresponds to x>0.75. The oxygen ionic conductivity of SrFeO₃-based perovskites decreases moderately on Al doping, but is 100–300 times higher than that of brownmillerites derived from CaFe_0.5Al_0.5O_2.5+δ. Temperature-activated character and relatively low values of hole mobility in SrFe_0.7Al_0.3O_3−δ, estimated from the total conductivity and Seebeck coefficient data, suggest a small-polaron mechanism of p-type electronic conduction under oxidising conditions. Reducing oxygen partial pressure results in increasing ionic conductivity and in the transition from dominant p- to n-type electronic transport, followed by decomposition. The low-pO₂ stability limits of Sr_1−xCa_xFe_1−yAl_yO_3−δ seem essentially independent of composition, varying between that of LaFeO_3−δ and the Fe/Fe_1−γO boundary. Thermal expansion coefficients of Sr_1−xCa_xFe_1−yAl_yO_3−δ ceramics in air are 9×10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ to 16×10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ at 100–650 °C and 12×10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ to 24×10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ at 650–950 °C. Doping of SrFe_1−yAl_yO_3−δ with aluminum decreases thermal expansion due to decreasing oxygen nonstoichiometry variations.     

Self-assembled La0.6Sr0.4FeO3-δ-La1.2Sr0.8NiO4+δ composite cathode for protonic ceramic fuel cells

The oxygen reduction reaction at the cathode is an essential process for protonic ceramic fuel cells. Composite cathode materials are commonly used towards the multiple requirements including high surface oxygen activity as well as sufficient electronic and ionic conductivities. In this study, a cobalt-free composite cathode composed of a perovskite La_0.6Sr_0.4FeO_3-δ phase and a Ruddlesden-Popper La_1.2Sr_0.8NiO_4+δ phase is synthesized with a self-assembly technology. The cathode process is mainly controlled by (I) the reduction of adsorbed oxygen atom to O⁻ on the surface and (II) the migration of O⁻ from the surface into the lattice. The former benefits from the high electrical conductivity of La_0.6Sr_0.4FeO_3-δ, and the latter is accelerated by La_1.2Sr_0.8NiO_4+δ attributed to its superior oxygen activity. The one-pot synthesized composite cathode shows an enhanced synergistic effect due to the uniform distribution of the two phases at the nanoscale. The cathode shows the lowest polarization resistances of 0.055 and 0.095 Ω cm² at 700 °C in oxygen and air, respectively. The results show that self-assembled La_0.6Sr_0.4FeO_3-δ-La_1.2Sr_0.8NiO_4+δ nanocomposite is a promising cathode material for protonic ceramic fuel cells.     

Catalytic activity improvement for efficient hydrogen oxidation of infiltrated La0.3Sr0.7Ti0.3Fe0.7O3-δ anode for solid oxide fuel cell

In this paper, a ceramic perovskite anode for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is prepared by infiltrating La and Fe co-doped strontium titanium, La_0.3Sr_0.7Ti_0.3Fe_0.7O_3-δ (LSTF0.7) into porous backbone of scandia-stabilized zirconia (ScSZ) and tested in pure H₂ at 700–850 °C. LSTF0.7 crystal exhibits high reduction stability and good compatibility with ScSZ electrolyte under reducing atmosphere. In order to improve the electrocatalytic activity, 15 wt% of CeO₂ and 7 wt% of Ni are infiltrated into the backbone pores respectively, thus forming LSTF0.7-CeO₂ and Ni-CeO₂-LSTF0.7 composite anodes. The cell with LSTF0.7 single anode shows a relatively lower maximal power density (MPD) of 401 mW cm⁻² in H₂ at 800 °C. While the maximal power densities of the cells with LSTF0.7-CeO₂ and Ni-CeO₂-LSTF0.7 composite anodes are 612 mW cm⁻² and 698 mW cm⁻² operated at the same conditions, respectively. The three anode polarization resistances (Rp,a) distinguished from the corresponding full cells are 0.176, 0.086 and 0.076 Ω cm² at 800 °C, respectively. The values of the activation energy (Ea) towards H₂ oxidation for the three anodes can be calculated to be 52.2, 46.0, 43.9 kJ mol⁻¹ based on their respective Rp,a. Therefore, the LSTF0.7-based anodes are considered to be promising alternatives for solid oxide fuel cell applications.     

Influence of Ta doping on the structural stability and conductivity of Sr11Mo4O23 electrolyte

Sr₁₁Mo₄O₂₃(SMO) material has a double-layer perovskite superstructure, which exhibits unusual structural flexibility and oxygen ion mobility. However, the Sr₁₁Mo₄O₂₃ cubic phase will transform into SrMoO₄ tetragonal phase at 400 °C, which leads to a sharp decrease in conductivity. In order to solve this problem, Ta doped Sr₁₁Mo_4-xTa_xO_23-δ (SMTO, 0 ≤ x ≤ 1.25) electrolytes were synthesized by a route combining the Pechini method and solid-state reaction. The effects of acceptor-type Ta⁵⁺ doping on the structural stability, micro-scale structure and ionic conductivity of SMO are characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. All Sr₁₁Mo_4-xTa_xO_23-δ powders are single-phase and no secondary phase is detected. Moreover, the phase transition of Sr₁₁Mo₄O₂₃ to SrMoO₄ is highly inhibited by partially replacing Mo with Ta (x ≥ 0.50) during the heat treatment, and the Sr₁₁Mo₄O₂₃ cubic phase with high conductivity may be maintained for a long time at 800 °C. The total ionic conductivity of Sr₁₁Mo_4-xTa_xO_23-δ samples increases with increasing the Ta concentration, and then declines at higher doping content (x = 1.25). The ionic conductivity of Sr₁₁Mo₃TaO_23-δ (SMTO100) pellet is the highest, reaching 1.44 × 10^?2 S/cm at 800 °C. More remarkably, the conductivity of STMO100 pellet remains at its peak during the 100 h annealing test at the temperature of 800 °C.     

Synthesis and characterization of fibrous La0.8Sr0.2Fe1-xCuxO3-δ cathode for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Aiming to offer a high-performance Co-free cathode for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs), a series of La_0.8Sr_0.2Fe_1-xCu_xO_3-δ (LSFCux, x = 0.0–0.3) nanofiber cathodes were synthesized by the electrospinning method. The effects of various Cu doping amounts on the crystal structure, fiber morphology, and electrochemical performance of LSF nanofiber cathode materials were investigated. The results indicate that after being calcined at 800 °C for 2 h, the perovskite structure samples with a high degree of crystallinity are obtained. The morphology of electrospun nanofibers is continuous, and the average diameter of nanofibers is about 110 nm. In addition, the La_0.8Sr_0.2Fe_0.8Cu_0.2O_3-δ (LSFCu2) fiber cathode displays the optimal electrochemical performance, and the polarization resistance (R_p) is 0.674 Ω cm² at 650 °C. The doping of Cu transforms the main control step of the low-frequency band from dissociation of oxygen molecules to charge transfer on the electrode, and the maximum power density (P_m) of the Ni-SDC/SDC/LSFCu2 single cell reaches 362 mW cm^-2 at 650 °C.     

High-performance LaNi0.6Fe0.4O3-δ-La0.45Ce0.55O2-δ nanoparticles co-loaded oxygen electrode for solid oxide steam electrolysis

Hydrogen production through solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) driven by renewable energy has attracted a lot of attention. Nevertheless, the poor performance of the oxygen electrode is a bottleneck in the implementation of SOECs. This work reports a high-performance LaNi_0.6Fe_0.4O_3-δ-La_0.45Ce_0.55O_2-δ (LNF-LDC) nanoparticles co-loaded (La_0.8Sr_0.2)_0.9MnO_3-δ-Y_0.15Zr_0.85O_2-δ (LSM-YSZ) oxygen electrode. Firstly, the co-synthesized LNF-LDC nano-composite is characterized by XRD, SEM, H₂-TPR and O₂-TPD techniques. Compared with individually synthesized LaNi_0.6Fe_0.4O_3-δ (LNF), the co-synthesized LNF-LDC nanoparticles have a larger amount of oxygen vacancy and higher oxygen mobility due to a strong synergistic effect. Secondly, the LNF-LDC nanoparticles co-loaded oxygen electrode exhibits a higher electrochemical performance than the single LNF loaded LSM-YSZ electrode. Under 800 °C and 50% A.H., the cell with LSM-YSZ@LNF-LDC-4 μL delivers ?1.18 A cm^?2 at 1.3 V, which is 2.03 times higher than the cell with LSM-YSZ@LNF-4 μL. Therefore, co-loading LNF-LDC is a promising method to develop a highly efficient oxygen electrode for solid oxide steam electrolysis.     

Cobalt-free SrFe1−xMoxO3-δ perovskite hollow fiber membranes for oxygen separation

SrFe_0.95Mo_0.05O_3-δ (SFM5) perovskite hollow fiber (HF) membranes with a finger-like structure were fabricated by a phase inversion technique. The oxygen flux through SFM5 hollow fiber membrane was evaluated and reached 0.64 μmol/cm² *s at T = 880 °C, which is 5 times higher than that of a disk SFM5 membrane (0.12 μmol/cm² *s). A further increase in oxygen fluxes was attained by Ag deposition on the inner surface of SFM5 hollow fiber membrane. The oxygen flux of SFM5 HF membranes is governed by surface-exchange reactions on the permeate side. The equilibrium "3 − δ − lg pO₂ − T" diagrams showed that doping of SF by molybdenum leads to a broadening of the cubic perovskite phase stability region.