Composite ionic or ionic-electronic conductors involving CeO₂ or ZrO₂ for hydrogen energy

Magdalena Dudek, Alicja Rapacz-Kmita

Quarterly No. 2, 2009 pages 101-106

DOI:

keywords: hydrogen energy, solid oxide electrolytes, protonic conductors, solid oxide fuel cells, syngas

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abstract This work is focused on the comparative analysis of electrical, electrochemical and mechanical properties of composite ceramic oxide electrolytes or composite mixed (ionic-electronic) oxide membranes providing a brief overview of the materials having better performance than monophase ones in solid oxide fuel cells or electrochemical reactors for syngas production. Introduction of Al2O3 inclusions into 8% mol Y2O3 in ZrO2 (8YSZ) matrix, caused small improvement of ionic conductivity in the temperature range 500-800°C and also lead to improvement of mechanical properties compared to pure 8YSZ. The Nd2Ti2O7 secondary phase was also able to coexist with 8YSZ matrix and the fracture toughness KIc of 8YSZ ceramics was also significantly improved by Nd2Ti2O7 addition. The improvement of mechanical properties of 8YSZ electrolyte is a important feature for application of this material in electrochemical devices. The increase of electronic conductivity in ceria-based electrolytes in low oxygen partial pressure caused the decrease of solid oxide fuel cell performance. On the other hand composite layered ceramics involving Ce0.8Sm0.2O2/Bi0.8Eb0.2O2 or Ce0.9Gd0.1O2/BaCe0.8Y0.2O3/Ce0.9- -Gd0.1O1.95 system exhibited better electrolytic stability in gas atmospheres with low oxygen partial pressure at the temperatures 600800°C. These materials are successfully tested as electrolytes in solid oxide fuel cells. The gradient ceramic oxide electrolytes seems to overcome the limitation of applying them as solid electrolytes in solid oxide fuel cells for long time performance. The design of gradient solid oxide electrolytes in the Ce0.8Sm0.2O2-Bi0.8Eb0.2O2 system or hybrid composite electrolytes involving BaCe0.8Y0.2O3 as a proton ionic conductor and Ce0.8M0.2O2, M = Sm, Gd as a oxygen ionic conductor caused the improvement of chemical stability of this material in reducing gas atmospheres. The solid oxide fuel cells involving such composite electrolytes have a much better parameters of performance than the same solid oxide fuel cell involving only ceria-based electrolytes. The dense composite ceramic membrane made of mixed oxygen ion and electron conducting oxides Ce0.8Sm0.2O2- -La0.8Sr0.2CrO3 or Ce0.8Sm0.2O2-CoFe2O4 seem to be perspective materials for electrochemical reactors for partial methane oxidation (POM). The main advantages of such composites are only considerable amounts of oxygen permeation flux but also chemical and thermal stability in long-term performance in reactor conditions.