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Title: Role of Pr-Vacancies and O-Interstitials on the Activity and Stability of (Pr1−xLnx)2NiO4 (Ln = La, Nd, Pm, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Ho) towards Oxygen Reduction Reactions: A DFT Study

Abstract

Praseodymium nickelate, Pr2NiO4 (PNO), is a promising electrode to promote oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in a solid oxide fuel cell, but it exhibits phase transformation during electrochemical operation. The origin of the simultaneous phase transformation and high electrochemical performance remains obscure. We carried out a systematic density functional theory study to elucidate the mechanism for this conjugated phenomenon. Charge, electronic structure, and normal-mode analysis suggest the presence of peroxide. Our study shows that the formation of peroxide (O22–) is attributed to both oxygen interstitials and Pr vacancies. The peroxide species limits the oxygen ion migration due to the additional energy required to break its O–O bond, which leads to a decrease in ORR activity. Subsequently, we investigate the diffusion paths of Pr-ions while comparing them with those of other Ln3+ ions (La, Nd, Pm, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Ho) in PNO. The formation energies for various Ln3+ cation occupancies are calculated, as well as segregation energies in CeO2(111) surfaces. Lastly, criteria for effective Ln3+ dopants are developed. La, Nd, and Pm are proposed as potential substituents in PNO to obtain a stable structure.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3];  [3];  [4];  [3];  [4]; ORCiD logo [3]
  1. Henan Normal University (China); University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA (United States)
  2. Henan Normal University (China)
  3. University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA (United States)
  4. Peking University, Beijing (China)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
OSTI Identifier:
1980863
Grant/Contract Number:  
FE0026097
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of the Electrochemical Society
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 168; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-4651
Publisher:
IOP Publishing
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Electrochemistry; Materials Science

Citation Formats

Zhang, Yanxing, Wang, Wei, Wang, Yudong, Xu, Nengneng, Tian, Guang, Karsili, Tolga N. V., Yang, Jinbo, and Zhou, Xiao Dong. Role of Pr-Vacancies and O-Interstitials on the Activity and Stability of (Pr1−xLnx)2NiO4 (Ln = La, Nd, Pm, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Ho) towards Oxygen Reduction Reactions: A DFT Study. United States: N. p., 2021. Web. doi:10.1149/1945-7111/ac4057.
Zhang, Yanxing, Wang, Wei, Wang, Yudong, Xu, Nengneng, Tian, Guang, Karsili, Tolga N. V., Yang, Jinbo, & Zhou, Xiao Dong. Role of Pr-Vacancies and O-Interstitials on the Activity and Stability of (Pr1−xLnx)2NiO4 (Ln = La, Nd, Pm, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Ho) towards Oxygen Reduction Reactions: A DFT Study. United States. https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac4057
Zhang, Yanxing, Wang, Wei, Wang, Yudong, Xu, Nengneng, Tian, Guang, Karsili, Tolga N. V., Yang, Jinbo, and Zhou, Xiao Dong. Thu . "Role of Pr-Vacancies and O-Interstitials on the Activity and Stability of (Pr1−xLnx)2NiO4 (Ln = La, Nd, Pm, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Ho) towards Oxygen Reduction Reactions: A DFT Study". United States. https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac4057. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1980863.
@article{osti_1980863,
title = {Role of Pr-Vacancies and O-Interstitials on the Activity and Stability of (Pr1−xLnx)2NiO4 (Ln = La, Nd, Pm, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Ho) towards Oxygen Reduction Reactions: A DFT Study},
author = {Zhang, Yanxing and Wang, Wei and Wang, Yudong and Xu, Nengneng and Tian, Guang and Karsili, Tolga N. V. and Yang, Jinbo and Zhou, Xiao Dong},
abstractNote = {Praseodymium nickelate, Pr2NiO4 (PNO), is a promising electrode to promote oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in a solid oxide fuel cell, but it exhibits phase transformation during electrochemical operation. The origin of the simultaneous phase transformation and high electrochemical performance remains obscure. We carried out a systematic density functional theory study to elucidate the mechanism for this conjugated phenomenon. Charge, electronic structure, and normal-mode analysis suggest the presence of peroxide. Our study shows that the formation of peroxide (O22–) is attributed to both oxygen interstitials and Pr vacancies. The peroxide species limits the oxygen ion migration due to the additional energy required to break its O–O bond, which leads to a decrease in ORR activity. Subsequently, we investigate the diffusion paths of Pr-ions while comparing them with those of other Ln3+ ions (La, Nd, Pm, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Ho) in PNO. The formation energies for various Ln3+ cation occupancies are calculated, as well as segregation energies in CeO2(111) surfaces. Lastly, criteria for effective Ln3+ dopants are developed. La, Nd, and Pm are proposed as potential substituents in PNO to obtain a stable structure.},
doi = {10.1149/1945-7111/ac4057},
journal = {Journal of the Electrochemical Society},
number = 12,
volume = 168,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Dec 16 00:00:00 EST 2021},
month = {Thu Dec 16 00:00:00 EST 2021}
}

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