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Title: A High-Performing Direct Carbon Fuel Cell with a 3D Architectured Anode Operated Below 600 °C

Abstract

Direct carbon fuel cells (DCFCs) are highly efficient and sustainable power generators fueled by abundant and cheap solid carbons. However, the limited formation of triple phase boundaries (TPBs) within fuel electrode inhibits their performance even at very high temperatures. To address the challenges of low carbon oxidation activity and low carbon utilization simultaneously, a highly efficient anode with 3D solid-state textile framework has been developed to advance the performance of DCFCs at intermediate temperatures. The cells with the 3D textile anode, Gd:CeO2-Li/Na2CO3 composite electrolyte, and Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (SSC) cathode have demonstrated excellent performance at intermediate temperatures with maximum power densities of 143, 196, and 325 mW cm-2 at 500, 550, and 600°C, respectively. At 500°C, the cells could be operated steadily at a constant polarization current density of 0.15Acm-2 at for approximately 2 hours with a carbon utilization reaching 86%. The significant improvement of the cell performance at low temperatures attributes to the high synergistic conduction of the composite electrolyte and the superior 3D anode structure which offers more paths for carbon catalytic oxidation. Our results indicate the feasibility of directly electrochemical oxidation of solid carbon at 500-600°C with a high carbon utilization and represent a promising strategy to develop 3Dmore » architectured electrodes for fuel cells and other electrochemical devices.« less

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
OSTI Identifier:
1476801
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1412582
Report Number(s):
INL/JOU-17-42522-Rev001
Journal ID: ISSN 0935-9648
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC07-05ID14517; DE‐AC07‐05ID14517
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Advanced Materials
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 30; Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 0935-9648
Publisher:
Wiley
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; direct carbon fuel cell; ceramic textile; carbon; DCFC; energy conversion; interfaces; triple-phase boundary

Citation Formats

Wu, Wei, Zhang, Yunya, Ding, Dong, and He, Ting. A High-Performing Direct Carbon Fuel Cell with a 3D Architectured Anode Operated Below 600 °C. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1002/adma.201704745.
Wu, Wei, Zhang, Yunya, Ding, Dong, & He, Ting. A High-Performing Direct Carbon Fuel Cell with a 3D Architectured Anode Operated Below 600 °C. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201704745
Wu, Wei, Zhang, Yunya, Ding, Dong, and He, Ting. Fri . "A High-Performing Direct Carbon Fuel Cell with a 3D Architectured Anode Operated Below 600 °C". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201704745. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1476801.
@article{osti_1476801,
title = {A High-Performing Direct Carbon Fuel Cell with a 3D Architectured Anode Operated Below 600 °C},
author = {Wu, Wei and Zhang, Yunya and Ding, Dong and He, Ting},
abstractNote = {Direct carbon fuel cells (DCFCs) are highly efficient and sustainable power generators fueled by abundant and cheap solid carbons. However, the limited formation of triple phase boundaries (TPBs) within fuel electrode inhibits their performance even at very high temperatures. To address the challenges of low carbon oxidation activity and low carbon utilization simultaneously, a highly efficient anode with 3D solid-state textile framework has been developed to advance the performance of DCFCs at intermediate temperatures. The cells with the 3D textile anode, Gd:CeO2-Li/Na2CO3 composite electrolyte, and Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (SSC) cathode have demonstrated excellent performance at intermediate temperatures with maximum power densities of 143, 196, and 325 mW cm-2 at 500, 550, and 600°C, respectively. At 500°C, the cells could be operated steadily at a constant polarization current density of 0.15Acm-2 at for approximately 2 hours with a carbon utilization reaching 86%. The significant improvement of the cell performance at low temperatures attributes to the high synergistic conduction of the composite electrolyte and the superior 3D anode structure which offers more paths for carbon catalytic oxidation. Our results indicate the feasibility of directly electrochemical oxidation of solid carbon at 500-600°C with a high carbon utilization and represent a promising strategy to develop 3D architectured electrodes for fuel cells and other electrochemical devices.},
doi = {10.1002/adma.201704745},
journal = {Advanced Materials},
number = 4,
volume = 30,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Dec 08 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Fri Dec 08 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}

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