Effect of oxygen activity and water partial pressure to degradation rate of Ni cermet electrode contacting Zr0.84Y0.16O1.92 electrolyte

Abstract

The time curves of full polarization resistance of Ni cermet electrode modified with CeO2 − δ additive were studied by means of impedance spectroscopy in binary gas mixtures x% H2 + (100 − x)% H2O, 10% CO + 90% CO2 and multicomponent gas mixtures H2 + CO2 + H2O + CO + Ar of various composition at the temperature of 900°C. The Ni cermet electrode degradation rate in binary gas mixtures H2 + H2O was shown to increase sharply at the partial water pressure over 45%. The Ni cermet electrode degradation rate in the mixture of 10% CO + 90% CO2 was significantly lower than that in 10% H2 + 90% H2O. The major changes in the electrode characteristics upon long exposure in working conditions were accounted for by changes in the high-frequency partial polarization resistance. In the course of long testing, the electrode microstructure was not significantly changed. In the presence of hydrogen-containing components (H2 and H2O), the carbon-containing components (CO and CO2) were shown to make an insignificant contribution to the current generation processes in Ni cermet electrode. It was suggested that strong degradation of Ni cermet electrode was caused by poisoning its reaction sites with strongly linked adsorption forms of water (hydroxyls) at the positive charge of electrode.