Modification of Fuel Electrode Microstructure for Protonic Ceramic Cells by the Infiltration of Various Metal Nanoparticles

Abstract

Proton ceramic cells (PCCs) are promising eco-energy electrochemical energy conversion systems. Proton conducting perovskite oxide electrolytes of PCCs have high ion conductivity at intermediate and low temperatures because of their low activation energy. Most of electrode infiltration studies for fuel electrode supported PCCs were carried out on a thin air electrode layer rather than a thick fuel electrode. In the present study, various metallic nanoparticles (such as Ni, Pd and Pt) were infiltrated in fuel electrode scaffolds to increase the thriple phase boundary (TPB, electrode-electrolyte-gas phase). The fabricated fuel electrode supported PCC consisted of Ni-BaCe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1Yb0.1O3-ẟ cermet fuel electrode, BaCe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1Yb0.1O3-ẟ (BCZYYb) electrolyte, and BCZYYb-La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-ẟ composite air electrode. SEM analysis results revealed that metallic nanoparticles can be infiltrated up to the fuel electrode functional layer and their distribution was uniform through the layer. The PCC with metal nanoparticle infiltrated fuel electrode exhibited higher power density and lower polarization resistance than that with bare fuel electrode. This study shows the electrochemical performance of fuel electrode supported PCCs can be further improved by the facile infiltration method.