Preparation of Mesoporous Tin Oxide for Electrochemical Applications

Mesoporous tin oxide stable up to 500 °C has been prepared for the first time using both cationic and neutral surfactants

Preparation of Mesoporous Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) and YSZ-NiO Using a Triblock Copolymer as Surfactant

Mesoporous yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and YSZ-NiO have been prepared for the first time using Pluronic P103 as a structure-directing agent and inorganic chlorides as precursors in a nonaqueous medium. After being fired at 500°C for 2 h, mesostructured YSZ has a BET surface area of about 146 m2 g-1, with an average pore size of 3.8 nm, while mesostructured YSZ-NiO has a BET surface area of about 108 m2 g-1, with an average pore size of 4.5 nm

Redox Stable Anodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) can convert chemical energy from the fuel directly to electrical energy with high efficiency and fuel flexibility. Ni-based cermets have been the most widely adopted anode for SOFCs. However, the conventional Ni-based anode has low tolerance to sulfur-contamination, is vulnerable to deactivation by carbon build-up (coking) from direct oxidation of hydrocarbon fuels, and suffers volume instability upon redox cycling. Among these limitations, the redox instability of the anode is particularly important and has been intensively studied since the SOFC anode may experience redox cycling during fuel cell operations even with the ideal pure hydrogen as the fuel. This review aims to highlight recent progresses on improving redox stability of the conventional Ni-based anode through microstructure optimization and exploration of alternative ceramic-based anode materials

Direct Synthesis of Methane from Co\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e-H\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eO Co-Electrolysis in Tubular Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells

Directly converting CO2 to hydrocarbons offers a potential route for carbon-neutral energy technologies. Here we report a novel design, integrating the high-temperature CO2–H2O co-electrolysis and low-temperature Fischer–Tropsch synthesis in a single tubular unit, for the direct synthesis of methane from CO2 with a substantial yield of 11.84%

Characteristics of the Hydrogen Electrode in High Temperature Steam Electrolysis Process

YSZ-electrolyte supported solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOECs) using LSM-YSZ oxygen electrode but with three types of hydrogen electrode, Ni–SDC, Ni–YSZ and LSCM–YSZ have been fabricated and characterized under different steam contents in the feeding gas at 850°C. Electrochemical impedance spectra results show that cell resistances increase with the increase in steam concentrations under both open circuit voltage and electrolysis conditions, suggesting that electrolysis reaction becomes more difficult in high steam content. Pt reference electrode was applied to evaluate the contributions of the hydrogen electrode and oxygen electrode in the electrolysis process. Electrochemical impedance spectra and over potential of both electrodes were measured under the same testing conditions. Experimental results show that steam contents mainly affect the behavior of the hydrogen electrode but have little influence on the oxygen electrode. Further, contribution from the hydrogen electrode is dominant in the electrolysis process for Ni–based SOECs, but this contribution decreases for LSCM–based SOECs

Reduced-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Fabricated by Screen Printing

Electrolyte films of samaria-doped ceria (SDC, Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9) are fabricated onto porous NiO-SDC substrates by a screen printing technique. A cathode layer, consisting of Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3 and 10 wt % SDC, is subsequently screen printed on the electrolyte to form a single cell, which is tested at temperatures from 400 to 600°C. When humidified (3% H2O) hydrogen or methane is used as fuel and stationary air as oxidant, the maximum power densities are 188 (or 78) and 397 (or 304) mW/cm2 at 500 and 600°C, respectively. Impedance analysis indicates that the performances of the solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) below 550°C are determined primarily by the interfacial resistance, implying that the development of catalytically active electrode materials is critical to the successful development of high-performance SOFCs to be operated at temperatures below 600°C

Preparation of Mesoporous SnO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e-SiO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e Composite as Electrodes for Lithium Batteries

Mesoporous SnO2–SiO2 composite stable up to 600 °C with a BET surface area of 350 m2 g-1 and an average pore size of 3.4 nm is successfully prepared, which exhibits promising cycling properties as anodes for lithium batterie

Chemically stable ceramic-metal composite membrane for hydrogen separation

A hydrogen permeation membrane is provided that can include a metal and a ceramic material mixed together. The metal can be Ni, Zr, Nb, Ta, Y, Pd, Fe, Cr, Co, V, or combinations thereof, and the ceramic material can have the formula: BaZr.sub.1-x-yY.sub.xT.sub.yO.sub.3-.delta. where 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.5, 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.5, (x+y)\u3e0; 0.ltoreq..delta..ltoreq.0.5, and T is Sc, Ti, Nb, Ta, Mo, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, In, Sn, or combinations thereof. A method of forming such a membrane is also provided. A method is also provided for extracting hydrogen from a feed stream

Electrode Design for Low Temperature Direct-Hydrocarbon Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a solid oxide fuel cell is described. The solid oxide fuel cell includes a hierarchically porous cathode support having an impregnated cobaltite cathode deposited thereon, an electrolyte, and an anode support. The anode support includes hydrocarbon oxidation catalyst deposited thereon, wherein the cathode support, electrolyte, and anode support are joined together and wherein the solid oxide fuel cell operates a temperature of 600.degree. C. or less