A study on the synchronous decoration of molybdenum oxide or tungsten oxide nanoparticles on anode materials for natural gas fed solid oxide fuel cells using ultrasounds.

Abstract

Sonochemistry was used for the metal oxides nanoparticle synthesis. All experiments were run using a BANDELIN Sonopuls HD 3200 ultrasonic generator (20 kHz, 200 W net output) with a ultrasonic probe in thermostated environment of 80 °C under ambient air. At the same time, ultrasonication activity achieved their decoration on state-of-the-art fuel cell anode powders. These modified powders shall be used in solid oxide and ceramic proton exchange membrane fuel cells anode sites. Metal oxide nanoformations synthesized were those of tungsten and molybdenum. In case of sonochemical synthesis, organometallic compounds dissolved in organic solvents played the role of precursors. Experiments of metal oxides synthesis revealed that ultrasonication intensity and solvents are able to affect final nanoparticles size distribution and morphology. At the same time, ratio of precursor and substrate compounds amounts as well as ultrasonication intensity and duration were all found to affect the decoration loading extent of nanoformations on substrates. Transmission electron microscopy was mainly used for identifying the final product of each synthesis attempt. Moreover, selected area diffraction of characteristic formations examined, gave important information about the nanocrystallinity and stoichiometry of all materials synthesized.