Wenjing Dong

Flowerlike CeO2 microspheres coated with Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5Ox nanoparticles for an advanced fuel cell

Flowerlike CeO2 coated with Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5Ox (Sr-Fe-Mo-oxide) nanoparticles exhibits enhanced conductivity at low temperatures (300–600 oC), e.g. 0.12 S cm−1 at 600 oC, this is comparable to pure ceria (0.1 S cm−1 at 800 oC). Advanced single layer fuel cell was constructed using the flowerlike CeO2/Sr-Fe-Mo-oxide layer attached to a Ni-foam layer coated with the conducting transition metal oxide. Such fuel cell has yielded a peak power density of 802 mWcm−2 at 550 oC. The mechanism of enhanced conductivity and cell performance were analyzed. These results provide a promising strategy for developing advanced low-temperature SOFCs.

Semiconductor-Ionic Nanocomposite La0.1Sr0.9MnO3−δ-Ce0.8Sm0.2O2−δ Functional Layer for High Performance Low Temperature SOFC

A novel composite was synthesized by mixing La0.1Sr0.9MnO3−δ (LSM) with Ce0.8Sm0.2O2−δ (SDC) for the functional layer of low temperature solid oxide fuel cell (LT-SOFC). Though LSM, a highly electronic conducting semiconductor, was used in the functional layer, the fuel cell device could reach OCVs higher than 1.0 V without short-circuit problem. A typical diode or rectification effect was observed when an external electric force was supplied on the device under fuel cell atmosphere, which indicated the existence of a junction that prevented the device from short-circuit problem. The optimum ratio of LSM:SDC = 1:2 was found for the LT-SOFC to reach the highest power density of 742 mW·cm−2 under 550 °C The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy data highlighted that introducing LSM into SDC electrolyte layer not only decreased charge-transfer resistances from 0.66 Ω·cm2 for SDC to 0.47–0.49 Ω·cm2 for LSM-SDC composite, but also decreased the activation energy of ionic conduction from 0.55 to 0.20 eV.