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On the role of the zirconia/ceria interface in the degradation of solid oxide electrolysis cells

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0016478· OSTI ID:1799424
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois (United States). Department of Materials Science and Engineering; OSTI
  2. Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois (United States). Department of Materials Science and Engineering
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Gd-doped Ceria (GDC) barrier layers are widely used in solid oxide electrolysis cells to prevent reactions between the Y-stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte and oxygen electrode. In some cases, electrolysis operation causes fracture near the GDC/YSZ interface. Here, we explain this effect using a numerical calculation, showing that a peak oxygen pressure is observed near the GDC/YSZ interface during electrolysis operation. Moreover, GDC/YSZ interdiffusion and possible zirconate phase formation occurring during electrode firing yield a low oxygen ion conductivity region that introduces a much higher peak oxygen partial pressure at the interdiffusion layer/YSZ interface, thereby exacerbating degradation. The results indicate that the peak pressure can be reduced and, thereby, damage can be mitigated by altering processing in order to minimize interdiffusion, decreasing the GDC layer thickness, and reducing oxygen electrode polarization resistance or altering electrolyte transport properties, e.g., changing the Gd doping level of GDC to increase the oxygen vacancy diffusivity.

Research Organization:
Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Grant/Contract Number:
EE0008079
OSTI ID:
1799424
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1665916
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 117; ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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