Aleksander Chrzan

LaNi1-xCoxO3-δ (x=0.4 to 0.7) cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells by infiltration

Performance of LaNi1-xCoxO3−δ (LNC) (x=0.4 to 0.7) as a cathode in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is evaluated. Symmetrical cathode/electrolyte/cathode cells for electrochemical testing are prepared by infiltration of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) backbone with LNC solutions. It is showed that the cathode infiltrated with LaNi0.5Co0.5O3−δ (LNC155) has the lowest polarization resistance and activation energy, 197 mΩ cm2 at 600 °C and 0.91 eV, respectively. Therefore it is the most promising material of the LNC group for electrochemical applications. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that none of the materials is single-phased after heat treatment at 800 °C as they contain residues of La2O3 and La2NiO4−δ

Barium boron aluminum silicate glass system for solid state optical gas sensors

Recent increasing demand for new eco-friendly materials and for low cost fabrication process for use in optical sensors field, raise concern about alternative materials for this application. We have designed two glass-ceramics compositions from the quaternary ROAl2O3- SiO2-B2O3(R=Ba) alkali-earth aluminum silicate system, labeled B72 and B69, with high refractive index (>1.6), large values of Abbe number (94.0 and 53.0, respectively), and free of lead and arsenic. We present an analysis and discussion of experimental optical properties, thermal and thermo-chemical stability along with important properties such as transition temperature (Tg), onset of crystallization (Tx) as well transport properties as ionic conductivity behavior in the quaternary glass-ceramic system containing boron for use as optical sensors. Complex Impedance Spectra (Bode Plot) and Potentiodynamic Polarization curves (Tafel plots) measurements were carried out in the temperature range of 600 to 850°C. The most probable conductivity mechanism is a thermally activated process of mobile ions overcoming a potential barrier (EA), according to the Arrhenius regime. Here we report that charge transfer is caused by the flux of electrons, in the region of elevated temperatures (>700°C), and is affected by immiscibility of crystals, nucleation and growth type, that causes phase separation. We found conductivity (σ) values from 10-9 to 10-5 S/cm at temperatures between 700 and 850°C. Our results highlight a need for research on ion mobility in the glassy network above the transition range, and the effect cause by metastable immiscibility in the alkaline-earth glasses are exposed. The two glass compositions B72 and B69 can be tailored by proper use as glassy optical sensor.

Zirconia-based mixed potential sensor with Pt electrode prepared by spin-coating of polymeric precursor

Many types of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) based gas sensors have been explored extensively in recent years. Great attention have been directed to mixed-potential-type gas sensors. It is due to growing concerns with environmental issues. Not without a significance is the fact of very attractive performance of this type of sensor allowing to detect low concentration of pollutant gases. In this paper two types of YSZ based mixed-potential planar sensors were investigated, with platinum electrode painted using commercial paste and with spin coated platinum layer. Both types had second electrode in the form of porous gold. Measurements were performed at 400 °C in synthetic air and different concentrations of SO2. Gas flow was set to 100 cm3min-1 and the concentration of 50 ppm SO2 was tested. During this measurements the sensor was sintered in-situ at increasing temperatures. Sensor with 100 nm spin-coated platinum layer sintered at 700 °C was shown to exhibit two times smaller response than sensor with 5 μm porous electrode, while consisting of over 20 times smaller amount of Pt. The influence of sintering temperature on electrical conductivity of platinum films was also examined. Moreover, the platinum microstructure was investigated using SEM microscopy.