ac Impedance study of the oxygen reduction mechanism on La1−xSrxMnO3 in solid oxide fuel cells

Highly efficient bifunctional oxygen reduction/evolution activity of a non-precious nanocomposite derived from a tetrazine-COF

We report a novel s-tetrazine based covalent organic framework (TZA-COF) and its hybrid nanocomposites with reduced graphene oxide (TZA-COF-rGO) and Co metal to illustrate novel structure-activity relationships in this class of compounds for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The Co-impregnated hybrid composites (TZA-COF-rGO-Co) were further annealed to yield Co-encapsulated nitrogen doped graphitic carbon (Co@NC-600), which exhibited excellent ORR activity comparable to that of the state-of-the art Pt/C in terms of onset potential, E1/2 (half-wave potential), 4e- reduction selectivity and methanol tolerance. Sequential mechanistic analyses of activity enhancement and electron transfer pathways for the ORR, at different stages of controlled catalyst engineering, elucidated the crucial role of active sites and overall catalyst nature in tuning the ORR mechanism. Co@NC-600 also exhibited high oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity under alkaline conditions which makes it one of the most efficient non-precious metal bifunctional catalysts, capable of catalyzing complex 4e- reduction processes like the ORR and OER.

Controlling the Oxygen Electrocatalysis on Perovskite and Layered Oxide Thin Films for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes

Achieving the fast oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics at the cathode of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is indispensable to enhance the efficiency of SOFCs at intermediate temperatures. Mixed ionic and electronic conducting (MIEC) oxides such as ABO3 perovskites and Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) oxides (A2BO4) have been widely used as promising cathode materials owing to their attractive physicochemical properties. In particular, oxides in forms of thin films and heterostructures have enabled significant enhancement in the ORR activity. Therefore, we aim to give a comprehensive overview on the recent development of thin film cathodes of SOFCs. We discuss important advances in ABO3 and RP oxide thin film cathodes for SOFCs. Our attention is also paid to the influence of oxide heterostructure interfaces on the ORR activity of SOFC cathodes.

In situ assembled La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 cathodes on a Y2O3–ZrO2 electrolyte of solid oxide fuel cells – interface and electrochemical activity

Polarization can induce an LSM/YSZ interface which is electrochemically compatible with the one formed under high temperature sintering.

Insight into the oxygen reduction reaction on the LSM|GDC interface of solid oxide fuel cells through impedance spectroscopy analysis

Impedance spectroscopy analysis demonstrates that the LSM|GDC interface exhibits poorer catalytic ability for oxygen reduction reaction than the LSM|YSZ interface due to its less active sites rather than the larger activation energy.

Influence of the mediating behaviour of Sn according to its particle size on a Ni/yttria-stabilised zirconia porous anode structure in a direct carbon fuel cell

Comparison of the Sn mediating behaviour according to the particle size and consequent changes in permeation: microparticles tend to accumulate, whereas nanoparticles favour permeation and oxidation due to their smaller dimensions.

Novel microstructural strategies to enhance the electrochemical performance of La0.8Sr0.2MnO3-δ cathodes

Novel strategies based on spray-pyrolysis deposition are proposed to increase the triple-phase boundary (TPB) of La0.8Sr0.2MnO3-δ (LSM) cathodes in contact with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte: (i) nanocrystalline LSM films deposited on as-prepared YSZ surface; (ii) the addition of poly(methyl methacrylate) microspheres as pore formers to further increase the porosity of the film cathodes; and (iii) the deposition of LSM by spray pyrolysis on backbones of Zr0.84Y0.16O1.92 (YSZ), Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 (CGO), and Bi1.5Y0.5O3-δ (BYO) previously fixed onto the YSZ. This last method is an alternative to the classical infiltration process with several advantages for large-scale manufacturing of planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), including easier industrial implementation, shorter preparation time, and low cost. The morphology and electrochemical performance of the electrodes are investigated by scanning electron microscopy and impedance spectroscopy. Very low values of area specific resistance are obtained, ranging from 1.4 Ω·cm(2) for LSM films deposited on as-prepared YSZ surface to 0.06 Ω-cm(2) for LSM deposited onto BYO backbone at a measured temperature of 650 °C. These electrodes exhibit high performance even after annealing at 950 °C, making them potentially suitable for applications in SOFCs at intermediate temperatures.

Diffusion and Gas Conversion Analysis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells at Loads via AC Impedance

Impedance measurements were conducted under practical load conditions in solid oxide fuel cells of differing sizes. For a 2 cm2button cell, impedance spectra data were separately measured for the anode, cathode, and total cell. Improved equivalent circuit models are proposed and applied to simulate each of measured impedance data. Circuit elements related to the chemical and physical processes have been added to the total-cell model to account for an extra relaxation process in the spectra not measured at either electrode. The processes to which elements are attributed have been deduced by varying cell temperature, load current, and hydrogen concentration. Spectra data were also obtained for a planar stack of five 61 cm2cells and the individual cells therein, which were fitted to a simplified equivalent circuit model of the total button cell. Similar to the button cell, the planar cells and stack exhibit a pronounced low-frequency relaxation process, which has been attributed to concentration losses, that is, the combined effects of diffusion and gas conversion. The simplified total-cell model approximates well the dynamic behavior of the SOFC cells and the whole stack.