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1. Power and carbon monoxide co-production by a proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cell with La 0.6 Sr 0.2 Cr 0.85 Ni 0.15 O 3−δ for on-cell dry reforming of CH 4 by CO 2

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D0TA03458D  

   Wei, Tong ; Qiu, Peng ; Jia, Lichao ; Tan, Yuan ; Yang, Xin ; Sun, Shichen ; Chen, Fanglin ; Li, Jian ( May 2020 , Journal of Materials Chemistry A)

   null (Ed.)

   To directly use a CO 2 –CH 4 gas mixture for power and CO co-production by proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (H-SOFCs), a layer of in situ reduced La 0.6 Sr 0.2 Cr 0.85 Ni 0.15 O 3−δ (LSCrN@Ni) is fabricated on a Ni–BaZr 0.1 Ce 0.7 Y 0.1 Yb 0.1 O 3−δ (BZCYYb) anode-supported H-SOFC (H-DASC) for on-cell CO 2 dry reforming of CH 4 (DRC). For demonstrating the effectiveness of LSCrN@Ni, a cell without adding the LSCrN@Ni catalyst (H-CASC) is also studied comparatively. Fueled with H 2 , both H-CASC and H-DASC show similar stable performance with a maximum power density ranging from 0.360 to 0.816 W cm −2 at temperatures between 550 and 700 °C. When CO 2 –CH 4 is used as the fuel, the performance and stability of H-CASC decreases considerably with a maximum power density of 0.287 W cm −2 at 700 °C and a sharp drop in cell voltage from the initial 0.49 to 0.10 V within 20 h at 0.6 A cm −2 . In contrast, H-DASC demonstrates a maximum power density of 0.605 W cm −2 and a stable cell voltage above 0.65 V for 65 h. This is attributed to highly efficient on-cell DRC by LSCrN@Ni. 

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2. (Digital Presentation) Ultrathin Stabilized Zn Metal Anode for Highly Reversible Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries

   https://doi.org/10.1149/MA2022-024439mtgabs  

   Zhang, Yuxuan ; Song, Han Wook ; Lee, Sunghwan ( October 2022 , ECS Meeting Abstracts)

   Ever-increasing demands for energy, particularly being environmentally friendly have promoted the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.¹Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), arguably the most well-studied energy storage system, have dominated the energy market since their advent in the 1990s.²However, challenging issues regarding safety, supply of lithium, and high price of lithium resources limit the further advancement of LIBs for large-scale energy storage applications.³Therefore, attention is being concentrated on an alternative electrochemical energy storage device that features high safety, low cost, and long cycle life. Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) is considered one of the most promising alternative energy storage systems due to the high theoretical energy and power densities where the multiple electrons (Zn²⁺) . In addition, aqueous ZIBs are safer due to non-flammable electrolyte (e.g., typically aqueous solution) and can be manufactured since they can be assembled in ambient air conditions.⁴As an essential component in aqueous Zn-based batteries, the Zn metal anode generally suffers from the growth of dendrites, which would affect battery performance in several ways. Second, the led by the loose structure of Zn dendrite may reduce the coulombic efficiency and shorten the battery lifespan.⁵

   Several approaches were suggested to improve the electrochemical stability of ZIBs, such as implementing an interfacial buffer layer that separates the active Zn from the bulk electrolyte.⁶However, the and thick thickness of the conventional Zn metal foils remain a critical challenge in this field, which may diminish the energy density of the battery drastically. According to a theretical calculation, the thickness of a Zn metal anode with an areal capacity of 1 mAh cm^-2is about 1.7 μm. However, existing extrusion-based fabrication technologies are not capable of downscaling the thickness Zn metal foils below 20 μm.

   Herein, we demonstrate a thickness controllable coating approach to fabricate an ultrathin Zn metal anode as well as a thin dielectric oxide separator. First, a 1.7 μm Zn layer was uniformly thermally evaporated onto a Cu foil. Then, Al₂O₃, the separator was deposited through sputtering on the Zn layer to a thickness of 10 nm. The inert and high hardness Al₂O₃layer is expected to lower the polarization and restrain the growth of Zn dendrites. Atomic force microscopy was employed to evaluate the roughness of the surface of the deposited Zn and Al₂O₃/Zn anode structures. Long-term cycling stability was gauged under the symmetrical cells at 0.5 mA cm^-2for 1 mAh cm^-2. Then the fabricated Zn anode was paired with MnO₂as a full cell for further electrochemical performance testing. To investigate the evolution of the interface between the Zn anode and the electrolyte, a home-developed in-situ optical observation battery cage was employed to record and compare the process of Zn deposition on the anodes of the Al₂O₃/Zn (demonstrated in this study) and the procured thick Zn anode. The surface morphology of the two Zn anodes after circulation was characterized and compared through scanning electron microscopy. The tunable ultrathin Zn metal anode with enhanced anode stability provides a pathway for future high-energy-density Zn-ion batteries.

   Obama, B., The irreversible momentum of clean energy.Science2017,355(6321), 126-129.

   Goodenough, J. B.; Park, K. S., The Li-ion rechargeable battery: a perspective.J Am Chem Soc2013,135(4), 1167-76.

   Li, C.; Xie, X.; Liang, S.; Zhou, J., Issues and Future Perspective on Zinc Metal Anode for Rechargeable Aqueous Zinc‐ion Batteries.Energy & Environmental Materials2020,3(2), 146-159.

   Jia, H.; Wang, Z.; Tawiah, B.; Wang, Y.; Chan, C.-Y.; Fei, B.; Pan, F., Recent advances in zinc anodes for high-performance aqueous Zn-ion batteries.Nano Energy2020,70.

   Yang, J.; Yin, B.; Sun, Y.; Pan, H.; Sun, W.; Jia, B.; Zhang, S.; Ma, T., Zinc Anode for Mild Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: Challenges, Strategies, and Perspectives.Nanomicro Lett2022,14(1), 42.

   Yang, Q.; Li, Q.; Liu, Z.; Wang, D.; Guo, Y.; Li, X.; Tang, Y.; Li, H.; Dong, B.; Zhi, C., Dendrites in Zn-Based Batteries.Adv Mater2020,32(48), e2001854.

   Acknowledgment

   This work was partially supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Award No. ECCS-1931088. S.L. and H.W.S. acknowledge the support from the Improvement of Measurement Standards and Technology for Mechanical Metrology (Grant No. 22011044) by KRISS.

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3. Advanced oxygen-electrode-supported solid oxide electrochemical cells with Sr(Ti,Fe)O 3−δ -based fuel electrodes for electricity generation and hydrogen production

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d0ta06678h  

   Zhang, Shan-Lin ; Wang, Hongqian ; Yang, Tianrang ; Lu, Matthew Y. ; Li, Cheng-Xin ; Li, Chang-Jiu ; Barnett, Scott A. ( December 2020 , Journal of Materials Chemistry A)

   null (Ed.)

   Sr(Ti 0.3 Fe 0.7 )O 3−δ (STF) and the associated exsolution electrodes Sr 0.95 (Ti 0.3 Fe 0.63 Ru 0.07 )O 3−δ (STFR), or Sr 0.95 (Ti 0.3 Fe 0.63 Ni 0.07 )O 3−δ (STFN) are alternatives to Ni-based cermet fuel electrodes for solid oxide electrochemical cells (SOCs). They can provide improved tolerance to redox cycling and fuel impurities, and may allow direct operation with hydrocarbon fuels. However, such perovskite-oxide-based electrodes present processing challenges for co-sintering with thin electrolytes to make fuel electrode supported SOCs. Thus, they have been mostly limited to electrolyte-supported SOCs. Here, we report the first example of the application of perovskite oxide fuel electrodes in novel oxygen electrode supported SOCs (OESCs) with thin YSZ electrolytes, and demonstrate their excellent performance. The OESCs have La 0.8 Sr 0.2 MnO 3−δ –Zr 0.92 Y 0.16 O 2−δ (LSM–YSZ) oxygen electrode-supports that are enhanced via infiltration of SrTi 0.3 Fe 0.6 Co 0.1 O 3−δ , while the fuel electrodes are either Ni-YSZ, STF, STFN, or STFR. Fuel cell power density as high as 1.12 W cm −2 is obtained at 0.7 V and 800 °C in humidified hydrogen and air with the STFR electrode, 60% higher than the same cell made with a Ni-YSZ electrode. Electrolysis current density as high as −1.72 A cm −2 is obtained at 1.3 V and 800 °C in 50% H 2 O to 50% H 2 mode; the STFR cell yields a value 72% higher than the same cell made with a Ni-YSZ electrode, and competitive with the widely used conventional Ni-YSZ-supported cells. The high performance is due in part to the low resistance of the thin YSZ electrolyte, and also to the low fuel electrode polarization resistance, which decreases with fuel electrode in the order: Ni-YSZ > STF > STFN > STFR. The high performance of the latter two electrodes is due to exsolution of catalytic metal nanoparticles; the results are discussed in terms of the microstructure and properties of each electrode material, and surface oxygen exchange resistance values are obtained over a range of conditions for STF, STFN, and STFN. The STF fuel electrodes also provide good stability during redox cycling. 

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4. A Novel Self‐Assembled Cobalt‐Free Perovskite Composite Cathode with Triple‐Conduction for Intermediate Proton‐Conducting Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

   https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202209695  

   Tong, Hua ; Fu, Min ; Yang, Yang ; Chen, Fanglin ; Tao, Zetian ( September 2022 , Advanced Functional Materials)

   A traditional composite cathode for proton‐conducting solid oxide fuel cells (H‐SOFCs) is typically obtained by mixing cathode materials and proton conducting electrolyte of BaCe_0.7Y_0.2Zr_0.1O_3–δ(BZCY), providing chemical and thermal compatibility with the electrolyte. Here, a series of triple‐conducing and cobalt‐free iron‐based perovskites as cathodes for H‐SOFCs is reported. Specifically, BaCe_xFe_1–xO_3–δ(x = 0.36, 0.43, and 0.50) shows various contents of two single phase perovskites with an in situ heterojunction structure as well as triple conductivity by tailoring the Ce/Fe ratios. The cell performance with the optimized BaCe_0.36Fe_0.64O_3–δ(BCF36) cathode composition reaches 1056 mW cm⁻²at 700 °C. Moreover, a record cell performance of 1525 mW cm⁻²at 700 °C is obtained by modifying the BCF36 cathode microstructure through a spraying method, demonstrating high promise with Co‐free cathodes for H‐SOFCs.

    

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5. Progress in proton‐conducting oxides as electrolytes for low‐temperature solid oxide fuel cells: From materials to devices

   https://doi.org/10.1002/ese3.886  

   Zhang, Wei ; Hu, Yun Hang ( March 2021 , Energy Science & Engineering)

   Among various types of alternative energy devices, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating at low temperatures (300‐600°C) show the advantages for both stationary and mobile electricity production. Proton‐conducting oxides as electrolyte materials play a critical role in the low‐temperature SOFCs (LT‐SOFCs). This review summarizes progress in proton‐conducting solid oxide electrolytes for LT‐SOFCs from materials to devices, with emphases on (1) strategies that have been proposed to tune the structures and properties of proton‐conducting oxides and ceramics, (2) techniques that have been employed for improving the performance of the protonic ceramic‐based SOFCs (known as PCFCs), and (3) challenges and opportunities in the development of proton‐conducting electrolyte‐based PCFCs.

    

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