María Balaguer

Enhanced Oxygen Separation through Robust Freeze‐Cast Bilayered Dual‐Phase Membranes

Dual-phase oxygen-permeable asymmetric membranes with enhanced oxygen permeation were prepared by combining freeze-casting, screen-printing, and constraint-sintering techniques. The membranes were evaluated under oxyfuel operating conditions. The prepared membranes are composed of an original ice-templated La(0.6)Sr(0.4)Co(0.2)Fe(0.8)O(3-δ) support with hierarchically oriented porosity and a top fully densified bilayered coating comprising a 10 μm-thick La(0.6)Sr(0.4)Co(0.2)Fe(0.8)O(3-δ) layer and a top protective 8 μm-thick layer made of an optimized NiFe2O4/Ce(0.8)Tb(0.2)O(2-δ) composite synthesized by the one-pot Pechini method. Preliminary analysis confirmed the thermochemical compatibility of the three involved phases at high temperature without any additional phase detected. This membrane exhibited a promising oxygen permeation value of 4.8 mL min(-1)  cm(-2) at 1000 °C upon using Ar and air as the sweep and feed gases, respectively. Mimicking oxyfuel operating conditions by switching argon to pure CO2 as a sweep gas at 1000 °C and air as feed enabled an oxygen flux value of 5.6 mL min(-1)  cm(-2) to be reached. Finally, under the same conditions and increasing the oxygen partial pressure to 0.1 MPa in the feed, the oxygen permeation reached 12 mL min(-1)  cm(-2). The influence of CO2 content in the sweep gas was studied and its reversible and positive effect over oxygen permeation at temperatures equal to or above 950 °C was revealed. Finally, the membrane stability over a period of 150 h under CO2-rich sweep gas showed a low degradation rate of 2.4×10(-2)  mL min(-1)  cm(-2) per day.

Mixed Proton-Electron Conducting Chromite Electrocatalysts as Anode Materials for LWO-Based Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Funding from the Spanish Government (ENE2011-24761 grant) and the European Union (FP7 Project EFFIPRO, Grant Agreement 227560) is acknowledged. The authors are indebted to S. Jimenez and M. Fabuel for sample preparation.

Rare Earth‐doped Ceria Catalysts for ODHE Reaction in a Catalytic Modified MIEC Membrane Reactor

An intensification process for the selective oxidation of hydrocarbons integrates a catalytic reactor and an oxygen separation membrane. This work presents the study of oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane at 1123 K in a catalytic membrane reactor based on mixed ionic‐electronic conducting (MIEC) membranes. The surface of a membrane made of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ has been activated using different porous catalytic layers based on rare earth‐doped cerias (fluorite structure) and the porous catalytic coating was deposited by screen printing (coating around 15 μm). The different catalyst formulations were developed by partial substitution of Ce and were synthesized by co‐precipitation followed by cobalt impregnation when required. Specifically, seven different catalysts based on the system Ce1−xLnxO2−δ (x=0.1 or 0.2; Ln=Tb, Pr, Er, Gd, and Tb+Er), including the effect of cobalt addition (2 % molar) in Ce0.8Tb0.2O2−δ, were studied. The ceria catalysts were studied by XRD, SEM, DC‐conductivity as a function of oxygen partial pressure, and the high‐temperature stability in a CO2 environment was assessed using thermogravimetry. Then, the influence of the ceria catalytic coating on the oxygen permeation flux through the MIEC membrane was studied using argon and methane as the sweep gas in the permeate side. Finally, oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane reaction tests were performed at 1123 K, as a function of the ethane concentration in the feed. The use of a disk‐shaped membrane in the reactor made it possible to prevent the direct contact of gaseous oxygen and hydrocarbons and thus to increase the ethylene yield. High ethylene yields (up to ≈84 %) were obtained using a catalytic coating based on 20 % Tb‐doped ceria including macropores produced by the addition of graphite platelets in the screen printing ink. The high yields obtained in this kind of catalytic membrane are attributed to the combination of: the high catalytic activity; the control of the oxygen concentration in the gas phase (reaction chamber); and the appropriate fluid dynamics, enabling the fast ethylene evacuation.

Dual‐Phase Oxygen Transport Membranes for Stable Operation in Environments Containing Carbon Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide

Dual-phase membranes are appealing candidates for oxygen transport membranes owing to their unique combination of ambipolar electron-ion transport and endurance. However, O2 separation in industrial environments demands very high stability and effectiveness in the presence of CO2- and SO2-bearing process gases. Here, the composition of dual-phase membranes based on NiFe2O4-Ce(0.8) Tb(0.2)O(2-δ) (NFO-CTO) was optimized and the effective performance of catalytically-activated membranes was assessed in presence of CO2 and SO2. Further insight into the limiting mechanisms in the permeation was gained through electrical conductivity studies, permeation testing in several conditions and impedance spectroscopy analysis. The dual-phase membranes were prepared by one-pot sol-gel method and their permeability increases with increasing fluorite content. An O2 flux of 0.25 (ml min(-1)  cm(-2)) mm at 1000 °C was obtained for a thick self-standing membrane with 40:60 NFO/CTO composition. An in-depth study mimicking typical harsh conditions encountered in oxyfuel flue gases was performed on a 50:50 NFO/CTO membrane. CO2 content as well as SO2 presence in the sweep gas stream were evaluated in terms of O2 permeation. O2 fluxes of 0.13 and 0.09 mL min(-1)  cm(-2) at 850 °C were obtained for a 0.59 mm thick membrane under CO2 and 250 ppm SO2 in CO2 sweep conditions, respectively. Extended periods at work under CO2- and SO2-containing atmospheres revealed good permeation stability over time. Additionally, XRD, backscattered electrons detector (BSD)-SEM, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis of the spent membrane confirmed material stability upon prolonged exposure to SO2.

Hydrogen separation through tailored dual phase membranes with nominal composition BaCe0.8Eu0.2O3-δ:Ce0.8Y0.2O2-δ at intermediate temperatures

Hydrogen permeation membranes are a key element in improving the energy conversion efficiency and decreasing the greenhouse gas emissions from energy generation. The scientific community faces the challenge of identifying and optimizing stable and effective ceramic materials for H2 separation membranes at elevated temperature (400–800 °C) for industrial separations and intensified catalytic reactors. As such, composite materials with nominal composition BaCe0.8Eu0.2O3-δ:Ce0.8Y0.2O2-δ revealed unprecedented H2 permeation levels of 0.4 to 0.61 mL·min−1·cm−2 at 700 °C measured on 500 μm-thick-specimen. A detailed structural and phase study revealed single phase perovskite and fluorite starting materials synthesized via the conventional ceramic route. Strong tendency of Eu to migrate from the perovskite to the fluorite phase was observed at sintering temperature, leading to significant Eu depletion of the proton conducing BaCe0.8Eu0.2O3-δ phase. Composite microstructure was examined prior and after a variety of functional tests, including electrical conductivity, H2-permeation and stability in CO2 containing atmospheres at elevated temperatures, revealing stable material without morphological and structural changes, with segregation-free interfaces and no further diffusive effects between the constituting phases. In this context, dual phase material based on BaCe0.8Eu0.2O3-δ:Ce0.8Y0.2O2-δ represents a very promising candidate for H2 separating membrane in energy- and environmentally-related applications.

High performance anodes with tailored catalytic properties for La5.6WO11.4−δ based proton conducting fuel cells

A new generation of anodes for PC-SOFCs based on catalytically promoted La0.75Ce0.1Sr0.15CrO3−δ (LSCCe) is presented. LSCCe is selected as the electrode backbone structure, due to its superior total conductivity over that of LSC. The infiltration of catalytically highly active nickel nanoparticles into the sintered LSCCe electrode boosted the surface limiting reactions.

Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conduction in NiFe2O4-Ce0.8Gd0.2O2−δ Nanocomposite Thin Films for Oxygen Separation

NiFe2 O4 -Ce0.8 Gd0.2 O2-δ (NFO/CGO) nanocomposite thin films were prepared by simultaneously radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering of both NFO and CGO targets. The aim is the growth of a CO2 -stable composite layer that combines the electronic and ionic conduction of the separate NFO and the CGO phases for oxygen separation. The effect of the deposition temperature on the microstructure of the film was studied to obtain high-quality composite thin films. The ratio of both phases was changed by applying different power to each ceramic target. The amount of each deposited phase as well as the different oxidation states of the nanocomposite constituents were analyzed by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The transport properties were studied by conductivity measurements as a function of temperature and pO2 . These analyses enabled (1) selection of the best deposition temperature (400 °C), (2) correlation of the p-type electronic behavior of the NFO phase with the hole hopping between Ni3+ -Ni2+ , and (3) following the conductivity behavior of the grown composite layer (prevailing ionic or electronic character) attained by varying the amount of each phase. The sputtered layer exhibited high ambipolar conduction and surfaceexchange activity. A 150 nm-thick nanograined thin film was deposited on a 20 μm-thick Ba0.5 Sr0.5 Co0.8 Fe0.2 O3-δ asymmetric membrane, resulting in up to 3.8 mL min-1  cm-2 O2 permeation at 1000 °C under CO2 atmosphere.