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Title: Effects of surface chemistry and microstructure of electrolyte on oxygen reduction kinetics of solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

In this study, we report systematic investigation of the surface properties of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolytes with the control of the grain boundary (GB) density at the surface, and its effects on electrochemical activities. The GB density of thin surface layers deposited on single crystal YSZ substrates is controlled by changing the annealing temperature (750-1450 °C). Higher oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) kinetics is observed in samples annealed at lower temperatures. The higher ORR activity is ascribed to the higher GB density at the YSZ surface where 'mobile' oxide ion vacancies are more populated. Meanwhile, oxide ion vacancies concurrently created with yttrium segregation at the surface at the higher annealing temperature are considered inactive to oxygen incorporation reactions. Our results provide additional insight into the interplay between the surface chemistry, microstructures, and electrochemical activity. They potentially provide important guidelines for engineering the electrolyte electrode interfaces of solid oxide fuel cells for higher electrochemical performance.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States)
  2. Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States); Seoul National Univ., of Science and Technology (Republic of Korea)
  3. Univ. of California, Merced, CA (United States)
  4. Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States)
  5. Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States); Sungkyunkwan Univ. (Republic of Korea)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
OSTI Identifier:
1244692
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-06CH11357
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Power Sources
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 295; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0378-7753
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; Cathode; Grain boundary; Oxygen reduction kinetics; Solid oxide fuel cells

Citation Formats

Park, Joong Sun, An, Jihwan, Lee, Min Hwan, Prinz, Friedrich B., and Lee, Wonyoung. Effects of surface chemistry and microstructure of electrolyte on oxygen reduction kinetics of solid oxide fuel cells. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.06.149.
Park, Joong Sun, An, Jihwan, Lee, Min Hwan, Prinz, Friedrich B., & Lee, Wonyoung. Effects of surface chemistry and microstructure of electrolyte on oxygen reduction kinetics of solid oxide fuel cells. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.06.149
Park, Joong Sun, An, Jihwan, Lee, Min Hwan, Prinz, Friedrich B., and Lee, Wonyoung. 2015. "Effects of surface chemistry and microstructure of electrolyte on oxygen reduction kinetics of solid oxide fuel cells". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.06.149. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1244692.
@article{osti_1244692,
title = {Effects of surface chemistry and microstructure of electrolyte on oxygen reduction kinetics of solid oxide fuel cells},
author = {Park, Joong Sun and An, Jihwan and Lee, Min Hwan and Prinz, Friedrich B. and Lee, Wonyoung},
abstractNote = {In this study, we report systematic investigation of the surface properties of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolytes with the control of the grain boundary (GB) density at the surface, and its effects on electrochemical activities. The GB density of thin surface layers deposited on single crystal YSZ substrates is controlled by changing the annealing temperature (750-1450 °C). Higher oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) kinetics is observed in samples annealed at lower temperatures. The higher ORR activity is ascribed to the higher GB density at the YSZ surface where 'mobile' oxide ion vacancies are more populated. Meanwhile, oxide ion vacancies concurrently created with yttrium segregation at the surface at the higher annealing temperature are considered inactive to oxygen incorporation reactions. Our results provide additional insight into the interplay between the surface chemistry, microstructures, and electrochemical activity. They potentially provide important guidelines for engineering the electrolyte electrode interfaces of solid oxide fuel cells for higher electrochemical performance.},
doi = {10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.06.149},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1244692}, journal = {Journal of Power Sources},
issn = {0378-7753},
number = C,
volume = 295,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

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Cited by: 22 works
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Works referenced in this record:

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Microscopic and Nanoscopic Three-Phase-Boundaries of Platinum Thin-Film Electrodes on YSZ Electrolyte
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Improved oxygen surface exchange kinetics at grain boundaries in nanocrystalline yttria-stabilized zirconia
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Works referencing / citing this record:

Enhanced interface reactivity by a nanowrinkled functional layer for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells
journal, January 2019