Banana Stem Waste as a Sustainable Modifier for Microstructure Modification of Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cell Cathode

Abstract

This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing banana stem waste (BSW) as a pore former to modify the microstructure of the PCFC composite cathode. The microstructure of the La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-α-Ba(Ce0.6Zr0.4)0.9Y0.1O3-δ (LSCF-BCZY64) composite cathode was modified by varying the amounts of the incorporated banana stem waste. The samples underwent sintering at 1000 ˚C, and their microstructural and physical properties were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and densimeter. The results indicate that the incorporation of BSW enhances the porosity of the cathode without significantly affecting its crystalline structure. As the amount of BSW increased from 10 to 40 wt.%, the porosity level increased from 7.0% to 32.7%, and the density of the samples decreased from 1.3 to 0.9 g/cm3, thereby supporting the results of the porosity analysis. Increased cathode porosity can enhance reactant accessibility to active sites, potentially resulting in improved cell performance and durability. Moreover, the utilization of BSW as a sustainable and cost-effective pore former aligns with the growing emphasis on environmentally friendly materials in energy applications.