Combined theoretical and experimental analysis of processes determining cathode performance in solid oxide fuel cells

p-block germanenes as a promising electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), a pivotal process in hydrogen fuel cells crucial for enhancing fuel cell performance through suitable catalysts, remains a challenging aspect of development. This study explores the catalytic potential of germanene on Al (111), taking advantage of the successful preparation of stable reconstructed germanene layers on Al (111) and the excellent catalytic performance exhibited by germanium-based nanomaterials. Through first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that the O2 molecule can be effectively activated on both freestanding and supported germanene nanosheets, featuring kinetic barriers of 0.40 and 0.04 eV, respectively. The presence of the Al substrate not only significantly enhances the stability of the reconstructed germanene but also preserves its exceptional ORR catalytic performance. These theoretical findings offer crucial insights into the substrate-mediated modulation of germanene stability and catalytic efficiency, paving the way for the design of stable and efficient ORR catalysts for future applications.

Controlling surface cation segregation in a double perovskite for oxygen anion transport in high temperature energy conversion devices

Double perovskite materials have shown promising applications as an electrode in solid oxide fuel cells and Li-air batteries for oxygen reduction, evolution, and transport. However, degradation of the material due to cation migration to the surface, forming secondary phases, poses an existential bottleneck in materials development. Herein, a theoretical approach combining density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations is presented to study the Ba-cation segregation in a double perovskite NdBaCo2O5+δ. Solutions to circumvent segregation at the molecular level are presented in two different forms by applying strain and introducing dopants in the structure. On applying compressive strain or Ca as a dopant in the NBCO structure, segregation is estimated to reduce significantly. A more direct way of estimating cation segregation is proposed in MD simulations, wherein the counting of the cations migrating from the sub-surface layers to the surface provided a reliable theoretical assessment of the level of cation segregation.

Highly efficient LaMO3 (M = Co, Fe) perovskites catalyzed Fenton's reaction for degradation of direct blue 86

Perovskite-structured catalysts LaMO₃ (M = Co, Fe) were successfully synthesized and attempted to catalyze hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) for the degradation of Direct Blue 86 (DB86), a carcinogenic phthalocyanine dye. The heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction revealed that the oxidative power of the LaCoO₃-catalyzed H₂O₂ (LaCoO₃/H₂O₂) process was higher than that of LaFeO₃/H₂O₂. When LaCoO₃ was calcined at 750 °C for 5 h, 100 mg/L of DB86 could be completely degraded within 5 min via LaCoO₃/H₂O₂ system under H₂O₂ 0.0979 mol/L, initial pH 3.0, LaCoO₃ 0.4 g/L, and 25 °C. The oxidative LaCoO₃/H₂O₂ system has a low activation energy (14.68 kJ/mol) for DB86 degradation, indicating that it is a fast reaction process with highly favorable at high reaction temperatures. For the first time, a cyclic reaction mechanism of catalytic LaCoO₃/H₂O₂ system was proposed based on the evidence of coexisting Co^II and Co^III on the LaCoO₃ surface and the presence of HO^• radicals (major), O₂^•- radicals (minor), and ¹O₂ (minor). LaCoO₃ perovskite catalyst was reusable and still maintained reactive with a satisfactory degradation efficiency within 5 min even after five consecutive uses. This study shows that the as-prepared LaCoO₃ is a highly efficient catalyst for phthalocyanine dye degradation.

Existence of La-site antisite defects in [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text], Fe, and Co) predicted with many-body diffusion quantum Monte Carlo

The properties of [Formula: see text] (M: 3d transition metal) perovskite crystals are significantly dependent on point defects, whether introduced accidentally or intentionally. The most studied defects in La-based perovskites are the oxygen vacancies and doping impurities on the La and M sites. Here, we identify that intrinsic antisite defects, the replacement of La by the transition metal, M, can be formed under M-rich and O-poor growth conditions, based on results of an accurate many-body ab initio approach. Our fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo (FNDMC) calculations of [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text], Fe, and Co) find that such antisite defects can have low formation energies and are magnetized. Complementary density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations show that Mn antisite defects in [Formula: see text] may cause the p-type electronic conductivity. These features could affect spintronics, redox catalysis, and other broad applications. Our bulk validation studies establish that FNDMC reproduces the antiferromagnetic state of [Formula: see text], whereas DFT with PBE (Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof), SCAN (strongly constrained and appropriately normed), and the LDA+U (local density approximation with Coulomb U) functionals all favor ferromagnetic states, at variance with experiment.

Control of Explosive Chemical Reactions by Optical Excitations: Defect-Induced Decomposition of Trinitrotoluene at Metal Oxide Surfaces

Interfaces formed by high energy density materials and metal oxides present intriguing new opportunities for a large set of novel applications that depend on the control of the energy release and initiation of explosive chemical reactions. We studied the role of structural defects at a MgO surface in the modification of electronic and optical properties of the energetic material TNT (2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, also known as trinitrotoluene, C₇H₅N₃O₆) deposited at the surface. Using density functional theory (DFT)-based solid-state periodic calculations with hybrid density functionals, we show how the control of chemical explosive reactions can be achieved by tuning the electronic structure of energetic compound at an interface with oxides. The presence of defects at the oxide surface, such as steps, kinks, corners, and oxygen vacancies, significantly affects interfacial properties and modifies electronic spectra and charge transfer dynamics between the oxide surface and adsorbed energetic material. As a result, the electronic and optical properties of trinitrotoluene, mixed with an inorganic material (thus forming a composite), can be manipulated with high precision by interactions between TNT and the inorganic material at composite interfaces, namely, by charge transfer and band alignment. Also, the electron charge transfer between TNT and MgO surface reduces the decomposition barriers of the energetic material. In particular, it is shown that surface structural defects are critically important in the photodecomposition processes. These results open new possibilities for the rather precise control over the decomposition initiation mechanisms in energetic materials by optical excitations.

Solid-State Electrochemistry and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: Status and Future Prospects

Solid-state electrochemistry (SSE) is an interdisciplinary field bridging electrochemistry and solid-state ionics and deals primarily with the properties of solids that conduct ions in the case of ionic conducting solid electrolytes and electrons and/or electron holes in the case of mixed ionic and electronic conducting materials. However, in solid-state devices such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), there are unique electrochemical features due to the high operating temperature (600–1 000 °C) and solid electrolytes and electrodes. The solid-to-solid contact at the electrode/electrolyte interface is one of the most distinguished features of SOFCs and is one of the fundamental reasons for the occurance of most importance phenomena such as shift of the equipotential lines, the constriction effect, polarization-induced interface formation, etc. in SOFCs. The restriction in placing the reference electrode in solid electrolyte cells further complicates the SSE in SOFCs. In addition, the migration species at the solid electrode/electrolyte interface is oxygen ions, while in the case of the liquid electrolyte system, the migration species is electrons. The increased knowledge and understanding of SSE phenomena have guided the development of SOFC technologies in the last 30–40 years, but thus far, no up-to-date reviews on this important topic have appeared. The purpose of the current article is to review and update the progress and achievements in the SSE in SOFCs, largely based on the author’s past few decades of research and understanding in the field, and to serve as an introduction to the basics of the SSE in solid electrolyte devices such as SOFCs.

Graphical abstract

ZrO2 supported perovskite activation of peroxymonosulfate for sulfamethoxazole removal from aqueous solution

In this study, A- and B-site doped perovskite La_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Ni_0.2O₃ （LSCN) was prepared by sol-gel method. On this basis, ZrO₂ supported LSCN used to maintain high catalytic activity while inhibit the leaching of toxic Co ions. Compared with the non-doped LaCoO₃, the ZrO₂@La_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Ni_0.2O₃ (Z@LSCN82)/PMS system could almost completely degrade SMX in 30 min. In addition, the leaching amount of Co ions was only 0.303 mg L^-1. Free radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance experiments proved that active species SO₄^•-, •OH and ¹O₂ existed in the Z@LSCN82/PMS system, and SO₄^•- played a major role. Besides, the catalyst had high efficiency for SMX degradation in a wide pH range. In addition, co-existing anions in water such as HPO₄^- and Cl^- also showed slight inhibition of the system. It was indicated that the Z@LSCN82/PMS system had huge potential applications for practical wastewater treatment.

CO Oxidation Catalytic Effects of Intrinsic Surface Defects in Rhombohedral LaMnO3

There is an ongoing effort to replace rare and expensive noble-element catalysts with more abundant and less expensive transition metal oxides. With this goal in mind, the intrinsic defects of a rhombohedral perovskite-like structure of LaMnO₃ and their implications on CO catalytic properties were studied. Surface thermodynamic stability as a function of pressure (P) and temperature (T) were calculated to find the most stable surface under reaction conditions (P=0.2 atm, T=323 K to 673 K). Crystallographic planes (100), (111), (110), and (211) were evaluated and it was found that (110) with MnO₂ termination was the most stable under reaction conditions. Adsorption energies of O₂ and CO on (110) as well as the effect of intrinsic defects such as Mn and O vacancies were also calculated. It was found that O vacancies favor the interaction of CO on the surface, whereas Mn vacancies can favor the formation of carbonate species.

Perovskite oxides for oxygen transport: Chemistry and material horizons

Oxygen permeable membrane, which has the advantages of high separation selectivity, low energy consumption and simple process in oxygen separation, can be used in the fields of environment and energy, such as pure oxygen preparation, fuel cell, oxygen-enriched combustion and chemical reactor for methane catalytic conversion (e.g. partial oxidation of methane, carbon dioxide reforming with methane). New materials and technological development are needed to achieve this target for GHG reformation. In this direction, mixed ionic-electronic conducting (MIEC) oxides based on perovskite oxides are one of the prominent materials for oxygen transport at high temperatures. These compounds were created into solid ceramic membranes with considerable electronic and oxygen ionic conductivity. As a result of the differential partial pressure of oxygen across the membrane, this process enables the ionic transfer of oxygen from the air, providing the driving force for oxygen ion transport. Notably, over the last 40 years, the defect theory has been applied to a wide range of MIEC materials, providing insight into electronic and ionic transport, widely applied to designing catalysts for wastewater treatment and gas purification. However, a critical review by in-depth analysis from the material side on perovskite oxides for oxygen transport is needed. This work evaluates the research community's significant and relevant contributions in the perovskite oxides for gas separation domain over the previous four decades in conjunction with theoretical concepts, which would give rise to the fundamental understanding of the impact of various transitional metal elements on oxygen transport performance and stability in a different atmosphere.

Direct Measurement of Oxygen Mass Transport at the Nanoscale

Tuning oxygen mass transport properties at the nanoscale offers a promising approach for developing high performing energy materials. A number of strategies for engineering interfaces with enhanced oxygen diffusivity and surface exchange have been proposed. However, the origin and the magnitude of such local effects remain largely undisclosed to date due to the lack of direct measurement tools with sufficient resolution. In this work, atom probe tomography with sub-nanometer resolution is used to study oxygen mass transport on oxygen-isotope exchanged thin films of lanthanum chromite. A direct 3D visualization of nanoscaled highly conducting oxygen incorporation pathways along grain boundaries, with reliable quantification of the oxygen kinetic parameters and correlative link to local chemistries, is presented. Combined with finite element simulations of the exact nanostructure, isotope exchange-atom probe tomography allowed quantifying an enhancement in the grain boundary oxygen diffusivity and in the surface exchange coefficient of lanthanum chromite of about 4 and 3 orders of magnitude, respectively, compared to the bulk. This remarkable increase of the oxygen kinetics in an interface-dominated material is unambiguously attributed to grain boundary conduction highways thanks to the use of a powerful technique that can be straightforwardly extended to the study of currently inaccessible multiple nanoscale mass transport phenomena.

Cu-doped Ni-LDH with abundant oxygen vacancies for enhanced methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate degradation via peroxymonosulfate activation: key role of superoxide radicals

Oxygen vacancies (OVs) were introduced into Ni-based layered double hydroxides (LDHs) through Cu doping, and the catalytic performance of the resulting Ni_xCu-LDHs were investigated for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation and methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (MeP) degradation. Compared with that of Ni-LDH, the catalytic performance of Ni_xCu-LDHs were significantly enhanced and increased with increasing OV content in the catalysts, indicating that Cu doping introduced OVs into Ni_xCu-LDHs and greatly improved their catalytic activity with PMS. Quenching experiments and EPR analyses confirmed that oxidation processes dominated by superoxide radicals (O₂^•-) and singlet oxygen (¹O₂), rather than sulfate radicals (SO₄^•-) or hydroxyl radicals (•OH) used by traditional LDH catalysts, were responsible for MeP degradation by Ni₁₅Cu-LDHs. In addition, quenching experiments with different systems showed the fate of reduced SO₄^•-and •OH, and demonstrated that O₂^•- and ¹O₂ concentrations grew with increasing OV content, confirming that the presence of OVs affected the process of PMS activation. Notably, O₂^•- mainly originated from adsorbed oxygen or dissolved oxygen (DO) by acquiring electrons from OVs in Ni₁₅Cu-LDHs, since OVs possess abundant localized electrons. Consequently, an OV-mediated oxidative mechanism was proposed for Ni₁₅Cu-LDHs/PMS. This study provides new clues for enhancing the catalytic performance of LDH catalysts by introducing OVs via metal doping in PMS-based AOPs systems.

Activating Lattice Oxygen in Perovskite Oxide by B-Site Cation Doping for Modulated Stability and Activity at Elevated Temperatures

Doping perovskite oxide with different cations is used to improve its electro-catalytic performance for various energy and environment devices. In this work, an activated lattice oxygen activity in Pr0.4 Sr0.6 Cox Fe0.9- x Nb0.1 O3- δ (PSCxFN, x = 0, 0.2, 0.7) thin film model system by B-site cation doping is reported. As Co doping level increases, PSCxFN thin films exhibit higher concentration of oxygen vacancies ( V o • • ) as revealed by X-ray diffraction and synchrotron-based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Density functional theory calculation results suggest that Co doping leads to more distortion in FeO octahedra and weaker metaloxygen bonds caused by the increase of antibonding state, thereby lowering V o • • formation energy. As a consequence, PSCxFN thin film with higher Co-doping level presents larger amount of exsolved particles on the surface. Both the facilitated V o • • formation and B-site cation exsolution lead to the enhanced hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) activity. Excessive Co doping until 70%, nevertheless, results in partial decomposition of thin film and degrades the stability. Pr0.4 Sr0.6 (Co0.2 Fe0.7 Nb0.1 )O3 with moderate Co doping level displays both good HOR activity and stability. This work clarifies the critical role of B-site cation doping in determining the V o • • formation process, the surface activity, and structure stability of perovskite oxides.

Enhancing the Intrinsic Activity and Stability of Perovskite Cobaltite at Elevated Temperature Through Surface Stress

Perovskite-based oxides attract great attention as catalysts for energy and environmental devices. Nanostructure engineering is demonstrated as an effective approach for improving the catalytic activity of the materials. The mechanism for the enhancement, nevertheless, is still not fully understood. In this study, it is demonstrated that compressive strain can be introduced into freestanding perovskite cobaltite La_0.8 Sr_0.2 CoO_{3- δ} (LSC) nanofibers with sufficient small size. Crystal structure analysis suggests that the LSC fiber is characterized by compressive strain along the ab plane and less distorted CoO₆ octahedron compared to the bulk powder sample. Accompanied by such structural changes, the nanofiber shows significantly higher oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and better stability at elevated temperature, which is attributed to the higher oxygen vacancy concentration and suppressed Sr segregation in the LSC nanofibers. First-principle calculations further suggest that the compressive strain in LSC nanofibers effectively shortens the distance between the Co 3d and O 2p band center and lowers the oxygen vacancy formation energy. The results clarify the critical role of surface stress in determining the intrinsic activity of perovskite oxide nanomaterials. The results of this work can help guide the design of highly active and durable perovskite catalysts via nanostructure engineering.

Effect of grain boundaries in La0.84Sr0.16CoO3-δ on oxygen diffusivity and surface exchange kinetics

The single crystal and polycrystalline specimens of La0.84Sr0.16CoO3-δ oxide were synthesized and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction analysis, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, the electron backscatter diffraction technique, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A thin slab was prepared from the grown single crystal with its surface corresponding to the (110) plane. The kinetics of the oxygen exchange between the gas phase and a single crystal and a polycrystalline specimen was studied by means of 16O/18O oxygen isotope exchange at T = 750-850 °C and PO2 = 5.3 × 10-3-2.2 × 10-2 atm. Temperature dependencies of the oxygen heterogeneous exchange rate, the oxygen dissociative adsorption and incorporation rates, and oxygen diffusion coefficients were obtained. The relationship between the crystallographic orientation of oxides and the kinetic parameters of oxides has been established. Correlations between the surface state and the rates of individual stages of oxygen exchange as well as oxygen diffusion pathways in the single crystal compared with those in the polycrystalline specimen are considered.

A high-entropy manganite in an ordered nanocomposite for long-term application in solid oxide cells

The implementation of nano-engineered composite oxides opens up the way towards the development of a novel class of functional materials with enhanced electrochemical properties. Here we report on the realization of vertically aligned nanocomposites of lanthanum strontium manganite and doped ceria with straight applicability as functional layers in high-temperature energy conversion devices. By a detailed analysis using complementary state-of-the-art techniques, which include atom-probe tomography combined with oxygen isotopic exchange, we assess the local structural and electrochemical functionalities and we allow direct observation of local fast oxygen diffusion pathways. The resulting ordered mesostructure, which is characterized by a coherent, dense array of vertical interfaces, shows high electrochemically activity and suppressed dopant segregation. The latter is ascribed to spontaneous cationic intermixing enabling lattice stabilization, according to density functional theory calculations. This work highlights the relevance of local disorder and long-range arrangements for functional oxides nano-engineering and introduces an advanced method for the local analysis of mass transport phenomena.

Hf Deposition Stabilizes the Surface Chemistry of Perovskite Manganite Oxide

Stable composition and catalytic activity of surfaces are among the key requirements for materials employed in energy storage and conversion devices, such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Perovskite oxides that serve as cathode in SOFCs suffer from segregation of the aliovalent substitutional cations and the formation of an inert, non-conductive phase at the surface. Here, we demonstrate that the surface of the state-of-the-art SOFC cathode material La_0.8Sr_0.2MnO₃ (LSM) is stabilized against the segregation of Sr at high temperature by submonolayer coverages of Hf. The Hf is vapor-deposited onto the LSM thin film surface by e-beam evaporation. Using in situ near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS), we analyze the surface composition of LSM thin films. Half the LSM surface was kept as-prepared, and half was Hf-modified, for a direct comparison of untreated and Hf-treated regions on the same sample. The formation of a binary SrO_x surface species is quantified as descriptor for surface degradation. The onset of Sr segregation is observed at 450 °C on the bare LSM, followed by a substantial advance at 550 °C. Hf-treated regions of the same LSM surface exhibit significantly less Sr surface segregation at 450-550 °C. We interpret this stabilization imparted by Hf to arise from the suppression of the electrostatic attraction of Sr²⁺ cations to surface oxygen vacancies. Doping the surface layer with Hf, that has a higher affinity to oxygen, reduces this attraction by decreasing the surface oxygen vacancy concentration. In doing so, the use of physical vapor deposition highlights the direct role of the metal species in this system and excludes artifacts that could be introduced via chemical routes. The present work demonstrates this stabilizing effect of Hf on the surface of LSM, broadening the relevance of our prior findings on surface metal doping of other perovskite oxides.

Determination of Formation Energies and Phase Diagrams of Transition Metal Oxides with DFT+U

Knowledge about the formation energies of compounds is essential to derive phase diagrams of multicomponent phases with respect to elemental reservoirs. The determination of formation energies using common (semi-)local exchange-correlation approximations of the density functional theory (DFT) exhibits well-known systematic errors if applied to oxide compounds containing transition metal elements. In this work, we generalize, reevaluate, and discuss a set of approaches proposed and widely applied in the literature to correct for errors arising from the over-binding of the O₂ molecule and from correlation effects of electrons in localized transition-metal orbitals. The DFT+U method is exemplarily applied to iron oxide compounds, and a procedure is presented to obtain the U values, which lead to formation energies and electronic band gaps comparable to the experimental values. Using such corrected formation energies, we derive the phase diagrams for LaFeO₃, Li₅FeO₄, and NaFeO₂, which are promising materials for energy conversion and storage devices. A scheme is presented to transform the variables of the phase diagrams from the chemical potentials of elemental phases to those of precursor compounds of a solid-state reaction, which represents the experimental synthesis process more appropriately. The discussed workflow of the methods can directly be applied to other transition metal oxides.

Oxygen surface exchange kinetics of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ

The mechanism of oxygen exchange between the gas phase and Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3-δ oxide was evaluated by considering the inhomogeneity of the oxide surface. The applicability of existing models for the analysis of the oxygen exchange mechanism was considered. A new model with a dissociation step was suggested. The rate-determining steps of the oxygen exchange process were revealed under different experimental conditions. The change in the rate-determining step occurred at 600-650 °C. The probable cause was considered taking into account the parameter of nonequivalency of adsorption centers. A relationship between the oxygen isotope redistribution rates and the rates of the elementary steps in a "gas phase-solid oxide" system was revealed.

Composition, crystallography, and oxygen vacancy ordering impacts on the oxygen ion conductivity of lanthanum strontium ferrite

This work presents a comprehensive computational study showing how aliovalent doping, crystal structure, and oxygen vacancy interactions impact the oxygen vacancy conductivity of lanthanum strontium ferrite (LSF) as a function of temperature in air. First, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to obtain the oxygen vacancy migration barriers and understand the oxidation state changes on neighboring Fe atoms during oxygen vacancy migration. The oxygen migration barrier energy and the corresponding diffusion coefficient were then combined with previously determined mobile oxygen vacancy concentrations to predict the overall oxygen vacancy conductivity and compare it with experimentally measured values. More importantly, the impact of phase changes, the La/Sr ratio, and the oxygen non-stoichiometry on the mobile oxygen vacancy concentration, diffusivity, and conductivity were analyzed. It was found that stabilizing rhombohedral LSF or cubic SFO (through doping or other means), such that oxygen-vacancy-ordering-induced phase transitions are prevented, leads to high oxygen conductivity under solid oxide fuel cell operating conditions.

Electrochemical Polarization Dependence of the Elastic and Electrostatic Driving Forces to Aliovalent Dopant Segregation on LaMnO3

Segregation of aliovalent dopant cations is a common degradation pathway on perovskite oxide surfaces in energy conversion and catalysis applications. Here we focus on resolving quantitatively how dopant segregation is affected by oxygen chemical potential, which varies over a wide range in electrochemical and thermochemical energy conversion reactions. We employ electrochemical polarization to tune the oxygen chemical potential over many orders of magnitude. Altering the effective oxygen chemical potential causes the oxygen nonstoichiometry to change in the electrode. This then influences the mechanisms underlying the segregation of aliovalent dopants. These mechanisms are (i) the formation of oxygen vacancies that couples to the electrostatic energy of the dopant in the perovskite lattice and (ii) the elastic energy of the dopant due to cation size mismatch, which also promotes the reaction of the dopant with O₂ from the gas phase. The present study resolves these two contributions over a wide range of effective oxygen pressures. Ca-, Sr-, and Ba-doped LaMnO₃ are selected as model systems, where the dopants have the same charge but different ionic sizes. We found that there is a transition between the electrostatically and elastically dominated segregation regimes, and the transition shifted to a lower oxygen pressure with increasing cation size. This behavior is consistent with the results of our ab initio thermodynamics calculations. The present study provides quantitative insights into how the elastic energy and the electrostatic energy determine the extent of segregation for a given overpotential and atmosphere relevant to the operating conditions of perovskite oxides in energy conversion applications.

Combined density functional theory and molecular dynamics study of Sm0.75A0.25Co1−xMnxO2.88 (A = Ca, Sr; x = 0.125, 0.25) cathode material for next generation solid oxide fuel cell

Computational study of novel next-generation SOFC cathode Sm_0.75(Ca,Sr)_0.25Mn_xCo_1−xO_2.88 showing fast electronic and ionic conduction in bulk.

Controlling surface cation segregation in a nanostructured double perovskite GdBaCo2O5+δ electrode for solid oxide fuel cells

Mechanistic studies, utilizing molecular dynamics (MD) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, were undertaken to provide a molecular level explanation of Ba cation segregation in double perovskite GdBaCo₂O_5+δ (GBCO) electrodes. The energy (γ) of the terminal surface having only Ba cations, indicated the surface to be the most stable (γ = 6.7 kJ mol^-1Å^-2) as compared to the other surfaces. MD simulations elaborated on the cation disorder in the near surface region where Ba cations in the subsurface region were observed to migrate towards the surface. This led to a disruption in cation ordering with a propensity to form multiphases in the near surface region. In the near surface zone, oxygen anion diffusivity was observed to be reduced by an order of magnitude (D = 1.6 × 10^-11 cm² s^-1 at 873 K) as compared to the bulk oxygen anion diffusivity value (D = 1.96 × 10^-10 cm² s^-1 at 873 K). A novel idea was then proposed to control the degree of surface segregation of Ba cations by applying nanostructuring of the GBCO material in the form of nanoparticles. MD simulations elucidated that the near surface region having a high degree of cation disorder in the nanostructured GBCO may regain back the oxygen anion diffusivity value (D = 3.98 × 10^-10 cm² s^-1, at 873 K) comparable to the bulk core region (D = 2.51 × 10^-10 cm² s^-1, at 873 K). A proof of concept experiment was setup to test this hypothesis. The electrochemical performance of the electrode, fabricated using GBCO nanoparticles, was measured to improve by 15% as compared to the electrode synthesized with a bulk size GBCO material. This was attributed to the control in Ba-cation segregation, obtained on nanostructuring which resulted in higher oxygen anion transport in the near-surface region of the electrode material. XPS characterization of the surface of the nanostructured GBCO materials supported this assertion.

Manifestation of dipole-induced disorder in self-assembly of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic nanocubes

The colloidal processing of nearly monodisperse and highly crystalline single-domain ferroelectric or ferromagnetic nanocubes is a promising route to produce superlattice structures for integration into next-generation devices, whereas controlling the local behaviour of nanocrystals is imperative for fabricating highly-ordered assemblies. The current picture of nanoscale polarization in individual nanocrystals suggests a potential presence of a significant dipolar interaction, but its role in the condensation of nanocubes is unknown. We simulate the self-assembly of colloidal dipolar nanocubes under osmotic compression and perform the microstructural characterization of their densified ensembles. Our results indicate that the long-range positional and orientational correlations of perovskite nanocubes are highly sensitive to the presence of dipoles.

Factors controlling surface oxygen exchange in oxides

Reducing the working temperature of solid oxide fuel cells is critical to their increased commercialization but is inhibited by the slow oxygen exchange kinetics at the cathode, which limits the overall rate of the oxygen reduction reaction. We use ab initio methods to develop a quantitative elementary reaction model of oxygen exchange in a representative cathode material, La_0.5Sr_0.5CoO_3-δ, and predict that under operating conditions the rate-limiting step for oxygen incorporation from O₂ gas on the stable, (001)-SrO surface is lateral (surface) diffusion of O-adatoms and oxygen surface vacancies. We predict that a high vacancy concentration on the metastable CoO₂ termination enables a vacancy-assisted O₂ dissociation that is 10²-10³ times faster than the rate limiting step on the Sr-rich (La,Sr)O termination. This result implies that dramatically enhanced oxygen exchange performance could potentially be obtained by suppressing the (La,Sr)O termination and stabilizing highly active CoO₂ termination.

Fe-Doping in Double Perovskite PrBaCo2(1-x)Fe2xO6-δ: Insights into Structural and Electronic Effects to Enhance Oxygen Evolution Catalyst Stability

Perovskite oxides have been gaining attention for its capability to be designed as an ideal electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Among promising candidates, the layered double perovskite—PrBaCo2O6-δ (PBC)—has been identified as the most active perovskite electrocatalyst for OER in alkaline media. For a single transition metal oxide catalyst, the addition of Fe enhances its electrocatalytic performance towards OER. To understand the role of Fe, herein, Fe is incorporated in PBC in different ratios, which yielded PrBaCo2(1-x)Fe2xCo6-δ (x = 0, 0.2 and 0.5). Fe-doped PBCF’s demonstrate enhanced OER activities and stabilities. Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) revealed that Co is more stable in a lower oxidation state upon Fe incorporation by establishing charge stability. Hence, the degradation of Co is inhibited such that the perovskite structure is prolonged under the OER conditions, which allows it to serve as a platform for the oxy(hydroxide) layer formation. Overall, our findings underline synergetic effects of incorporating Fe into Co-based layered double perovskite in achieving a higher activity and stability during oxygen evolution reaction.

Thermodynamic stability of non-stoichiometric SrFeO3-δ: a hybrid DFT study

SrFeO3-δ is a mixed ionic-electronic conductor with a complex magnetic structure that reveals a colossal magnetoresistance effect. This material and its solid solutions are attractive for various spintronic, catalytic and electrochemical applications, including cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells and permeation membranes. Its properties strongly depend on oxygen non-stoichiometry. Ab initio hybrid functional approach was applied herein to study the thermodynamic stability of a series of SrFeO3-δ compositions with several non-stoichiometries δ, ranging from 0 to 0.5 (SrFeO3-SrFeO2.875-SrFeO2.75-SrFeO2.5) as a function of temperature and oxygen pressure. The results obtained by two approaches, in which either (i) all electrons at Fe atoms explicitly described or (ii) inner core electrons at Fe atoms are replaced by effective core potential, are compared. Based on our calculations, phase diagrams were constructed, allowing the determination of environmental conditions for the existence of stable phases. It is shown that (within an employed model) only the SrFeO2.5 phase appears to be stable. The stability region for this phase was re-drawn on the contour map of oxygen chemical potential, presented as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. A similar analysis was also performed using experimental Gibbs energies of perovskite formation from the elements. The present modelling strongly suggest a significant attraction between neutral oxygen vacancies. These vacancies are created during a series of the abovementioned SrFeO3-δ mutual transformations accompanied by oxygen release.

The influence of oxygen vacancy on the electronic and optical properties of ABO3−δ (A = La, Sr, B = Fe, Co) perovskites

ABO_3−δ (A = La, Sr, B = Fe, Co) perovskites are useful in a wide range of applications, including their recent exploration for application in high-temperature optical oxygen sensing for energy conversion devices such as solid oxide fuel cells.

Improving the Electrocatalytic Activity and Durability of the La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ Cathode by Surface Modification

Electrode materials with high activity and good stability are essential for commercialization of energy conversion systems such as solid oxide fuel cells or electrolysis cells at the intermediate temperature. Modifying the existing perovskite-based electrode surface to form a heterostructure has been widely applied for the rational design of novel electrodes with high performance. Despite many successful developments in enhancing electrode performance by surface modification, some controversial results are also reported in the literature and the mechanisms are still not well understood. In this work, the mechanism of how surface modification impacts the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and stability of perovskite-based oxides was investigated. We took La_0.6Sr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O₃ (LSCF) as the thin-film model system and modified its surface with additive Pr _xCe_{1- x}O₂ layers of different thicknesses. We found a strong correlation between surface oxygen defects and the ORR activity of the heterostructure. By inducing higher oxygen vacancy concentration compared to bare LSCF, PrO₂ coating is proved to greatly facilitate the rate of oxygen dissociation, thus significantly enhancing the ORR activity. Because of low oxygen vacancy density introduced by Pr_0.2Ce_0.8O₂ and CeO₂ coating, on the one hand, it does not boost the rate of ORR but successfully suppresses surface Sr segregation, leading to an enhanced durability. Our findings demonstrate the vital role of surface oxygen defects and provide important insights for the rational design of high-performance electrode materials through surface defect engineering.

Understanding Structure-Activity Relationships in Sr1- xY xCoO3-δ through in Situ Neutron Diffraction and Electrochemical Measurements

In this work, we report a systematic study on temperature-dependent local structural evolution, oxygen stoichiometry, and electrochemical properties of an oxygen-deficient perovskite Sr_0.7Y_0.3CoO_3-δ (SYC30) for oxygen electrocatalysis. The obtained results are then closely compared with its analogue Sr_0.9Y_0.1CoO_3-δ (SYC10) of different crystal structures to establish structure-activity relationships. The comparison shows that both SYC30 and SYC10 consist of alternate layers of oxygen-deficient Co1-polyhedra and oxygen-saturated Co2-octahedra with Co1-polyhedra being responsible for V_o^•• migration. It is also found that the distribution and concentration of oxygen vacancies within the Co1-layer are, respectively, less symmetrical and lower in SYC30 than those in SYC10, making the former unfavorable for oxygen transport. A molecular orbital energy analysis reveals that the energy gap between Fermi level and O 2p level in the active Co1-polyhedra is larger in SYC30 than that in SYC10, further suggesting that SYC10 is a better oxide-ion conductor and thus a better electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction, which is unambiguously confirmed by the subsequent electrochemical measurements.

Influence of surface atomic structure demonstrated on oxygen incorporation mechanism at a model perovskite oxide

Perovskite oxide surfaces catalyze oxygen exchange reactions that are crucial for fuel cells, electrolyzers, and thermochemical fuel synthesis. Here, by bridging the gap between surface analysis with atomic resolution and oxygen exchange kinetics measurements, we demonstrate how the exact surface atomic structure can determine the reactivity for oxygen exchange reactions on a model perovskite oxide. Two precisely controlled surface reconstructions with (4 × 1) and (2 × 5) symmetry on 0.5 wt.% Nb-doped SrTiO3(110) were subjected to isotopically labeled oxygen exchange at 450 °C. The oxygen incorporation rate is three times higher on the (4 × 1) surface phase compared to the (2 × 5). Common models of surface reactivity based on the availability of oxygen vacancies or on the ease of electron transfer cannot account for this difference. We propose a structure-driven oxygen exchange mechanism, relying on the flexibility of the surface coordination polyhedra that transform upon dissociation of oxygen molecules.

Defect physics in complex energy materials

Understanding the physics of structurally and chemically complex transition-metal oxide and polyanionic materials such as those used for battery electrodes is challenging, even at the level of pristine compounds. Yet these materials are also prone to and their properties and performance are strongly affected or even determined by crystallographic point defects. In this review, we highlight recent advances in the study of defects and doping in such materials using first-principles calculations. The emphasis is on describing a theoretical and computational approach that has the ability to predict defect landscapes under various synthesis conditions, provide guidelines for defect characterization and defect-controlled synthesis, uncover the mechanisms for electronic and ionic conduction and electrochemical extraction and (re-)insertion, and provide an understanding of the effects of doping. Though applied to battery materials here, the approach is general and applicable to any materials in which the defect physics plays a role or drives the properties of interest. Thus, this work is intended as an in-depth review of defect physics in particular classes of materials, but also as a methodological template for the understanding and design of complex functional materials.

How To Get Mechanistic Information from Partial Pressure-Dependent Current-Voltage Measurements of Oxygen Exchange on Mixed Conducting Electrodes

The oxygen incorporation and evolution reaction on mixed conducting electrodes of solid oxide fuel or electrolysis cells involves gas molecules as well as ionic and electronic point defects in the electrode. The defect concentrations depend on the gas phase and can be modified by the overpotential. These interrelationships make a mechanistic analysis of partial pressure-dependent current-voltage experiments challenging. In this contribution it is described how to exploit this complex situation to unravel the kinetic roles of surface adsorbates and electrode point defects. Essential is a counterbalancing of oxygen partial pressure and dc electrode polarization such that the point defect concentrations in the electrode remain constant despite varying the oxygen partial pressure. It is exemplarily shown for La_0.6Sr_0.4FeO_3-δ (LSF) thin film electrodes on yttria-stabilized zirconia how mechanistically relevant reaction orders can be obtained from current-voltage curves, measured in a three-electrode setup. This analysis strongly suggests electron holes as the limiting defect species for the oxygen evolution on LSF and reveals the dependence of the oxygen incorporation rate on the oxygen vacancy concentration. A virtual independence of the reaction rate from the oxygen partial pressure was empirically found for moderate oxygen pressures. This effect, however, arises from a counterbalancing of defect and adsorbate concentration changes.

Heterogeneous activation of peroxymonosulfate by LaCo1-xCuxO3 perovskites for degradation of organic pollutants

Recently cobalt-based heterogeneous catalysts have been widely investigated for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation in sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes. However, the improvement of the catalytic performance for PMS activation remains to be a challenge. As the limiting step, the rapid transformation of Co^II/Co^III redox pairs is crucial for PMS activation. Perovskites attract increasing attention due to their controllable oxidation state of B-site metal and formation of oxygen vacancies, which accelerates the cycle of redox pairs. LaCo_1-xM_xO₃ (M = Cu, Fe and Mn) perovskites as heterogeneous catalysts of PMS were synthesized for the degradation of phenol. The results showed that LaCo_0.4Cu_0.6O₃ exhibited the highest catalytic activity. The pseudo first-order kinetic constant of phenol degradation on LaCo_0.4Cu_0.6O₃ is 0.302 min^-1, being about 5 times as high as Co²⁺ with same molar concentration of cobalt in LaCo_0.4Cu_0.6O₃. XPS analysis confirmed that substitution of copper could promote the cycle of Co^II/Co^III, thus enhance the catalytic efficiency for PMS activation. The facilitated cycle of Co^II/Co^III played a crucial role in the generation of sulfate radicals, hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen. And sulfate radical was the primary radical responsible for pollutants degradation. The results provide insights into constructing novel perovskite catalysts for the removal of organic pollutants in water.

Oxygen surface exchange kinetics measurement by simultaneous optical transmission relaxation and impedance spectroscopy: Sr(Ti,Fe)O3-x thin film case study

We compare approaches to measure oxygen surface exchange kinetics, by simultaneous optical transmission relaxation (OTR) and AC-impedance spectroscopy (AC-IS), on the same mixed conducting SrTi_0.65Fe_0.35O_3-x film. Surface exchange coefficients were evaluated as a function of oxygen activity in the film, controlled by gas partial pressure and/or DC bias applied across the ionically conducting yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate. Changes in measured light transmission through the film over time (relaxations) resulted from optical absorption changes in the film corresponding to changes in its oxygen and oxidized Fe (~Fe⁴⁺) concentrations; such relaxation profiles were successfully described by the equation for surface exchange-limited kinetics appropriate for the film geometry. The k_chem values obtained by OTR were significantly lower than the AC-IS derived k_chem values and k_q values multiplied by the thermodynamic factor (bulk or thin film), suggesting a possible enhancement in k by the metal current collectors (Pt, Au). Long-term degradation in k_chem and k_q values obtained by AC-IS was also attributed to deterioration of the porous Pt current collector, while no significant degradation was observed in the optically derived k_chem values. The results suggest that, while the current collector might influence measurements by AC-IS, the OTR method offers a continuous, in situ, and contact-free method to measure oxygen exchange kinetics at the native surfaces of thin films.

Unveiling the effects of A-site substitutions on the oxygen ion migration in A2−xA′xNiO4+δ by first principles calculations

First principles calculations unveil the effects of A-site substitutions on the interstitial oxygen formation and migration energy in A_2−xA′_xNiO_4+δ.