Highly dense and novel proton conducting materials for SOFC electrolyte

S. Hossain and A. M. Abdalla are thankful to graduate studies office of Universiti Brunei Darussalam for graduate research scholarship (GRS) for this research work done. Authors are also grateful to Professor John T. S. Irvine for managing a visiting scholarship for SH and AMA to perform the research work at University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK.Highly dense proton conducting materials of BCZYSZn (BaCe0.8-xZrxY0.15Sm0.05O3-δ (x = 0.15, 0.20) with 4 wt.% ZnO as sintering additive), to be used as an intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) electrolyte, have been processed by the conventional solid state reaction method. The crystalline phase, microstructure, electrical properties, cell performance and chemical stability of the materials have been investigated. The ionic conductivity of BCZYSZn 3 (x = 0.20) material has been measured to be ~2.56 × 10-3 S cm−1 and ~8.32 × 10-3 S cm−1 at 600 °C and 850 °C, respectively in wet 5%H2 in Ar atmosphere. Microstructural characterizations of the zinc containing materials (BCZYSZn) show the formation of highly dense morphology with very large grains. The chemical stability test of BCZYSZn in pure CO2 shows that the material is very stable up to 1000 °C. The maximum power density for the BCZYSZn 3 electrolyte cell is found to be 0.42 W/cm2 at 700 °C under the testing atmosphere. The performed characterizations reveal that these are suitable proton-conducting candidate materials for efficient electrochemical devices.PostprintPeer reviewe

Highly dense and chemically stable proton conducting electrolyte sintered at 1200 °C

The authors S. Hossain and A. M. Abdalla are grateful to the graduate studies office of Universiti Brunei Darussalam for graduate research scholarship (GRS) for funding this research. The authors are thankful to Professor John T. S. Irvine for managing a visiting scholarship for SH and AMA at Center for Advanced Materials at School of Chemistry in University of St Andrews, UK for the research works done.The BaCe0.7Zr0.1Y0.2−xZnxO3−δ (x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20) has been synthesized by the conventional solid state reaction method for application in protonic solid oxide fuel cell. The phase purity and lattice parameters of the materials have been studied by the room temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been done for check the morphology and grain growth of the samples. The chemical and mechanical stabilities have been done using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in pure CO2 environment and thermomechanical analysis (TMA) in Argon atmosphere. The XRD of the materials show the orthorhombic crystal symmetry with Pbnm space group. The SEM images of the pellets show that the samples sintered at 1200 °C are highly dense. The XRD after TGA in CO2 and thermal expansion measurements confirm the stability. The particles of the samples are in micrometer ranges and increasing Zn content decreases the size. The conductivity measurements have been done in 5% H2 with Ar in dry and wet atmospheres. All the materials show high proton conductivity in the intermediate temperature range (400–700 °C). The maximum proton conductivity was found to be 1.0 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 700 °C in wet atmosphere for x = 0.10. From our study, 10 wt % of Zn seems to be optimum at the B-site of the perovskite structure. All the properties studied here suggest it can be a promising candidate of electrolyte for IT-SOFCs.PostprintPeer reviewe

Scheelite type Sr1−xBaxWO4 (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) for possible application in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell electrolytes

\ua9 2019, The Author(s). Polycrystalline scheelite type Sr1−xBaxWO4 (x = 0.1, 0.2 & 0.3) materials were synthesized by the solid state sintering method and studied with respect to phase stability and ionic conductivity under condition of technological relevance for SOFC applications. All compounds crystallized in the single phase of tetragonal scheelite structure with the space group of I41/a. Room temperature X-ray diffraction and subsequent Rietveld analysis confirms its symmetry, space group and structural parameters. SEM illustrates the highly dense compounds. Significant mass change was observed to prove the proton uptake at higher temperature by TG-DSC. All compound shows lower conductivity compared to the traditional BCZY perovskite structured materials. SBW with x = 0.3 exhibit the highest ionic conductivity among all compounds under wet argon condition which is 1.9 7 10−6 S cm−1 at 1000 \ub0C. Since this scheelite type compounds show significant conductivity, the new series of SBW could serve in IT-SOFC as proton conducting electrolyte

Advanced materials and technologies for hybrid supercapacitors for energy storage – A review

Supercapacitors have become the most significant energy conversion and storage system in recent renewable and sustainable nanotechnology. Due to its large energy capacity and supply with relatively short time and longer lifetime, supercapacitors breakthrough in advance energy applications. This review presents a comparative study of different materials, working principles, analysis, applications, advantages and disadvantages of various technologies available for supercapacitors. The aim of this article is to discuss the possibility of hybrid supercapacitor for the next generation of energy technology. The development of composite materials containing a wide range of active constituents (e.g., graphene, activated carbon, transition metals, metal oxides, perovskites and conducting polymers) by in-situ hybridization and ex-situ recombination is also discussed. This review consecrated largely the contribution of combining all materials (electrode and electrolyte) and their synthesis process and electrochemical performance. Enduringly, the potential issues and the perspectives for future research based on hybrid supercapacitors in energy applications are also presented

Highly dense and novel proton conducting materials for SOFC electrolyte

Highly dense proton conducting materials of BCZYSZn (BaCe0.8-xZrxY0.15Sm0.05O3-δ (x = 0.15, 0.20) with 4 wt.% ZnO as sintering additive), to be used as an intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) electrolyte, have been processed by the conventional solid state reaction method. The crystalline phase, microstructure, electrical properties, cell performance and chemical stability of the materials have been investigated. The ionic conductivity of BCZYSZn 3 (x = 0.20) material has been measured to be ~2.56 × 10-3 S cm−1 and ~8.32 × 10-3 S cm−1 at 600 °C and 850 °C, respectively in wet 5%H2 in Ar atmosphere. Microstructural characterizations of the zinc containing materials (BCZYSZn) show the formation of highly dense morphology with very large grains. The chemical stability test of BCZYSZn in pure CO2 shows that the material is very stable up to 1000 °C. The maximum power density for the BCZYSZn 3 electrolyte cell is found to be 0.42 W/cm2 at 700 °C under the testing atmosphere. The performed characterizations reveal that these are suitable proton-conducting candidate materials for efficient electrochemical devices

Investigation of Structural and Thermal Evolution in Novel Layered Perovskite NdSrMn2O5+δ via Neutron Powder Diffraction and Thermogravimetric Analysis

Neutron diffraction is one of the best methods for structural analysis of a complex, layered perovskite material with low symmetry by accurately detecting the oxygen positions through octahedral tilting. In this research, the crystal structure of NdSrMn2O5+δ was identified through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and neutron powder diffraction (NPD) at room temperature (RT), which indicated the formation of a layered structure in orthorhombic symmetry in the Pmmm (no. 47) space group. Rietveld refinement of the neutron diffraction data has confirmed the orthorhombic symmetry with unit cell parameters (a = 3.8367 (1) Å, b = 3.8643 (2) Å, and c = 7.7126 (1) Å), atomic positions, and oxygen occupancy. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed the total weight loss of about 0.10% for 20–950°C temperature, which occurred mainly to create oxygen vacancies at high temperatures. Rietveld analyses concurred with the XRD and neutron data allowing correlation of occupancy factors of the oxygen sites

Highly dense and chemically stable proton conducting electrolyte sintered at 1200 \ub0C

The BaCe 0.7 Zr 0.1 Y 0.2−x Zn x O 3−δ (x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20) has been synthesized by the conventional solid state reaction method for application in protonic solid oxide fuel cell. The phase purity and lattice parameters of the materials have been studied by the room temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been done for check the morphology and grain growth of the samples. The chemical and mechanical stabilities have been done using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in pure CO 2 environment and thermomechanical analysis (TMA) in Argon atmosphere. The XRD of the materials show the orthorhombic crystal symmetry with Pbnm space group. The SEM images of the pellets show that the samples sintered at 1200 \ub0C are highly dense. The XRD after TGA in CO 2 and thermal expansion measurements confirm the stability. The particles of the samples are in micrometer ranges and increasing Zn content decreases the size. The conductivity measurements have been done in 5% H 2 with Ar in dry and wet atmospheres. All the materials show high proton conductivity in the intermediate temperature range (400–700 \ub0C). The maximum proton conductivity was found to be 1.0 7 10 −2 S cm −1 at 700 \ub0C in wet atmosphere for x = 0.10. From our study, 10 wt % of Zn seems to be optimum at the B-site of the perovskite structure. All the properties studied here suggest it can be a promising candidate of electrolyte for IT-SOFCs

Highly dense and chemically stable proton conducting electrolyte sintered at 1200 °C

The BaCe0.7Zr0.1Y0.2−xZnxO3−δ (x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20) has been synthesized by the conventional solid state reaction method for application in protonic solid oxide fuel cell. The phase purity and lattice parameters of the materials have been studied by the room temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been done for check the morphology and grain growth of the samples. The chemical and mechanical stabilities have been done using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in pure CO2 environment and thermomechanical analysis (TMA) in Argon atmosphere. The XRD of the materials show the orthorhombic crystal symmetry with Pbnm space group. The SEM images of the pellets show that the samples sintered at 1200 °C are highly dense. The XRD after TGA in CO2 and thermal expansion measurements confirm the stability. The particles of the samples are in micrometer ranges and increasing Zn content decreases the size. The conductivity measurements have been done in 5% H2 with Ar in dry and wet atmospheres. All the materials show high proton conductivity in the intermediate temperature range (400–700 °C). The maximum proton conductivity was found to be 1.0 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 700 °C in wet atmosphere for x = 0.10. From our study, 10 wt % of Zn seems to be optimum at the B-site of the perovskite structure. All the properties studied here suggest it can be a promising candidate of electrolyte for IT-SOFCs