Ceria-based SOFC development

Conference · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:224951

Doshi, R; Krumpelt, M

The advantages of lowering the operating temperature of solid oxide fuel cells have led to efforts to develop fuel cells based on electrolytes like ceria which have a higher conductivity than zirconia. Lowering the operating temperature, however, causes increased electrode polarization. The currently used cathode material for higher temperature operation, lanthanum manganite, is inadequate for operation below 650--700{degrees}C. Therefore, to develop fuel cells for operation at 500{degrees}C, new electrode materials need to be. developed. It is recognized that the cathode performance requires the most improvement due to significantly slower oxygen reduction kinetics and/or oxygen diffusion kinetics through the electrode. In fact, for fuel cells made with thin electrolytes, the cathode accounts for up to 90% of the total voltage loss under load. Results on fuel cell tests in methanol and hydrogen and on new cathode materials are reported here. The results on new cathode materials are compared with known material properties, like nonstoichiometry and oxygen diffusion coefficients.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 224951
• Report Number(s): ANL/CMT/CP--89276; CONF-9604102--1; ON: DE96007063
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
CATHODES
CERIUM OXIDES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
GADOLINIUM OXIDES
MATERIALS
POLARIZATION
SOLID ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELLS
SOLID ELECTROLYTES
TESTING