Processing and characterization of proton conducting material based on cerate-zirconate ceramics

Solid electrolyte based on cerate-zirconates have been widely investigated world-wide as proton conductor for potential applications in electrochemical devices such as fuel cells, electrochemical sensors, reactors, and devices. The most conventional physical method to prepare these ceramic electrolytes is via solid-state reaction (SSR). However, chemical method or known as wet chemical method (WCM) such as a sol-gel process has become a reliable route in terms of producing high purity and homogenous ultrafine powders. Tailoring the microstructure of the ceramics electrolyte can be achieved as sol gel process produces single perovskite phase of cerate-zirconates at lower processing temperature. This lower heat treatment produces the ceramics with improved quality for instance ultra-fine and agglomerate free powders with narrow size distributions. Subsequently, the innovative procedures generates high relative density of the electrolyte with improved quality and performance. Within the scope, in this paper we summarize our recent results on the synthesis of doped Ba(Ce,Zr)O3 nanopowders by a modified sol-gel routes using metal nitrate salts as precursor

Proton conduction in perovskite solid electrolyte for proton ceramic fuel cell application at intermediate temperatures: a short review

Proton-conducting ceramics based on perovskite-type oxides have been significantly applied in a wide range of electrochemical devices such as fuel cells, hydrogen sensors, and steam electrolysers. One of the emerging applications of these ceramic proton conductors is as an electrolyte component in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), where the proton is mobilized from the anode to the cathode side via these conductors. The proton (hydrogen ion) diffusion mechanisms and activation energies (Ea ) in these materials are heavily influenced by their composition, stoichiometry, and crystal structure. Hence, this review presents and discusses the mechanism of hydrogen ion movement for proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells or known as proton ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs), based on experimental and modelling data, including the vehicular and the Grotthuss mechanisms. This review will provide a brief understanding of the connection between experimental and modelling evidence for proton mechanisms in perovskite electrolyte materials