CuFe2O4 Spinel Research Articles

Enhanced Removal of Cd(II) Ions from Aqueous Media via Adsorption on Facilely Synthesized Copper Ferrite Nanoparticles.

In this study, magnetic copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) nanoparticles were synthesized via the Pechini sol-gel method and evaluated for the removal of Cd(II) ions from aqueous solutions. PF600 and PF800 refer to the samples that were synthesized at 600 °C and 800 °C, respectively. Comprehensive characterization using FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, HR-TEM, and EDX confirmed the successful formation of CuFe2O4 spinel structures, with crystallite sizes of 22.64 nm (PF600) and 30.13 nm (PF800). FE-SEM analysis revealed particle diameters of 154.98 nm (PF600) and 230.05 nm (PF800), exhibiting spherical and irregular shapes. HR-TEM analysis further confirmed the presence of aggregated nanoparticles with average diameters of 52.26 nm (PF600) and 98.32 nm (PF800). The PF600 and PF800 nanoparticles exhibited exceptional adsorption capacities of 377.36 mg/g and 322.58 mg/g, respectively, significantly outperforming many materials reported in the literature. Adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetics, indicating monolayer adsorption and strong physisorption. The process was spontaneous, exothermic, and predominantly physical. Reusability tests demonstrated high adsorption efficiency across multiple cycles when desorbed with a 0.5 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution, emphasizing the practical applicability of these nanoparticles. The inherent magnetic properties of CuFe2O4 facilitated easy separation from the aqueous medium using a magnet, enabling efficient and cost-effective recovery of the adsorbent. These findings highlight the potential of CuFe2O4 nanoparticles, particularly PF600, for the effective and sustainable removal of Cd(II) ions from water.

Synergy of Adsorption and Solar Photoreduction for Removal Cr(VI) with Spinel CuFe2O4

Synergy of Adsorption and Solar Photoreduction for Removal Cr(VI) with Spinel CuFe2O4

Synthesis and characterization of CuFe2O4 spinel ferrite for supercapacitor application

The present work describes the synthesis of spinel ferrites which is potentially active material for electrodes of supercapacitors with high theoretical capacitance. Using nitrate salts of respective metal ions with citric acid as a chelating agent CuFe2O4 spinel ferrite was prepared by using the sol-gel auto-combustion method. The formation of single-phase nano particles of CuFe2O4 spinel ferrite is confirmed form the X-ray diffraction pattern. The spherical morphology of copper ferrite nano particles is displayed by Field-emission Scanning Electron Microscopy. The electrochemical properties of CuFe2O4 spinel ferrite has been investigated by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Galvanostatic Charge-Discharge (GCD) tests. The specific capacitance of the prepared CuFe2O4 spinel ferrite is 238 F/g at the current density of 0.5 A/g. The corresponding power density is 118.29 W/kg and the energy density is 62.5 Wh/kg. The resultant CuFe2O4 spinel ferrite nanoparticles exhibit excellent electrochemical performance and can be a promising candidate for supercapacitor application.

Experimental and theoretical study on performance of Cu-Fe spinel supported with certain inerts during chemical looping combustion

CuFe2O4 spinel oxygen carriers supported with certain inerts (CuF2O4@Support, Support = MgO, ZrO2 and TiO2) were investigated for their reactivity and redox performance. The experimental results show that the main reduction peak temperature of CuF2O4@ZrO2 with CO is about 448 °C. The uniform distribution of nanocrystalline CuF2O4 grains on ZrO2 is responsible for the increase of the low-temperature reactivity of OC. The deactivation rate of the CFO-based OCs after 15 redox cycles were 57.08 % (CuF2O4), 35.99 % (CuF2O4@MgO), 6.13 % (CuF2O4@ZrO2) and 11.67 % (CuF2O4@TiO2), respectively. The Zener pinning effect caused by ZrO2 is beneficial to the redox performance of OC. The DFT results show that CO oxidation goes through two elementary reactions upon the CuF2O4@ZrO2 surface (Ea = 97.96 kJ/mol), but three steps upon CuF2O4@MgO (Ea1 = 168.22 kJ/mol, Ea2 = 115.77 kJ/mol) and CuF2O4@TiO2 (Ea1 = 117.06 kJ/mol, Ea2 = 48.02 kJ/mol) surfaces. The electron density difference and PDOS analysis suggest that CuF2O4@ZrO2 exhibits the highest affinity towards CO, the interaction between fuel molecules and CuF2O4@ZrO2 is the strongest among the three modified OCs. Therefore, ZrO2 may be a potential support for CuF2O4-based oxygen carriers. This work may provide a new perspective for the development and industrialization of Cu-Fe spinel OCs.

Analysis of the Structural, Morphological, and Elastic Properties of Nanosized CuFe2O4 Spinel Synthesized via Sol-Gel Self-Combustion Method

Nanosized CuFe2O4 ferrite was synthesized through the sol-gel self-combustion technique, using iron and copper nitrates with citric acid as fuel. The synthesized ferrite was subsequently analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). X-ray diffraction studies validated the crystalline nature of the CuFe2O4, identifying it as having a mixed spinel structure within the Fd3m space group. Particle sizes were quantified using several methods including Debye-Scherrer, Williamson-Hall, Halder-Wagner, modified Debye-Scherrer, and size-strain plot (SSP), with all methods indicating a consistent average particle size of 28 nm. The elastic properties of the nanoparticles were extensively characterized, utilizing both diffraction line broadening (via the Williamson-Hall method) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to evaluate the materials' structural dynamics. Additionally, microstrain within the crystal lattice and various elastic constants, such as Young's modulus, Shear modulus, Debye temperature, and the velocities of longitudinal and transverse wave propagation were calculated. An electron density distribution was also constructed from the X-ray diffraction data, providing insight into the electronic environment and bonding characteristics of the material.

The influence of the synthesis route and microwave activation on the CuFe2O4 spinel mixed oxide catalysts activity in N2O decomposition

In this study a comprehensive analysis of the influence of synthesis route of CuFe2O4 spinel mixed oxides on their catalytic performance in the N2O decomposition was carried out. A co-precipitation technique allowed one to obtain the CuFe2O4 spinel with a higher specific surface area and pore volume compared to the synthesis with the application of organic additives. This resulted in better catalytic performance of the CuFe2O4 samples prepared by co-precipitation. The microwave activation step with the duration of 1 min during the co-precipitation synthesis led to the formation of the CuFe2O4 spinel with a higher content of oxygen vacancies per 1 m2 in comparison with the sample obtained without the microwave activation. This fact caused a significantly higher specific activity of the CuFe2O4 spinel synthesized with the application of 1 min microwave activation. The increase of the microwave treatment time led to the fast growth of the contents of the CuO and α-Fe2O3 phases, which are less active in the N2O decomposition, resulting in the activity drop.

Insights into the promising heterogeneous catalysis of eco-friendly synthesized spinel CuFe2O4 nanoparticles for Biginelli reaction

Insights into the promising heterogeneous catalysis of eco-friendly synthesized spinel CuFe2O4 nanoparticles for Biginelli reaction

High performance of carbon nanotube-encapsulated CuFe2O4 for peroxonosulfate activation: A process of degradation of sulfamethoxazole in complex matrix water via a singlet oxygen-dominated pathway

The common advanced oxidation process has problems such as short free radical life, low utilization rate, and weak catalyst stability. In this study, CuFe2O4 spinel was encapsulated in carbon nanotubes (CNT) to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS), and a catalyst CuFe2O4-in-CNT with a closed structure was synthesized. The catalyst exhibits exceptional catalytic performance in the degradation of sulfamethoxazole, effectively degrading 96.10% of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) within a mere 10 min. At the same time, carbon nanotubes provide a relatively ideal nano-enclosed space for the filling of CuFe2O4 nanoparticles. The confinement effect in CuFe2O4-in-CNT/PMS system is reflected in the following three aspects: (i) The catalyst with a closed structure can effectively alleviate the influence of macromolecular organic matter on the catalytic system; (ii) The reactive species (O2•-, SO4•-, HO•) accelerated recombination in a confined reaction space and rapidly converted to 1O2 as the major active substance; (iii) Strengthen the way of electron transfer. The interaction of catalysts, oxidants and pollutants is enhanced in a nano-enclosed environment by CuFe2O4-in-CNT/PMS process. In addition, CuFe2O4 nanoparticles were filled in the CNT cavity, which further affected the catalytic performance and stability. The removal rate of SMX by CuFe2O4-in-CNT was 90% after five cycles.

Selective catalytic reduction of NO by CO over spinel CuFe2O4 catalyst: The vital role of oxygen vacancies

Oxygen vacancies are widely employed to augment the catalytic reactivity in the selective catalytic reduction of NO by CO (CO-SCR) process. Herein, the specific promotion mechanism of oxygen vacancies was intensively explored through a series of CuFe2O4 catalysts via experiments and density functional theory (DFT) simulations. After the modification of oxygen vacancies, NO conversion was enhanced by 20 %-32 % and N2 selectivity was improved. Characterizations revealed that the redox performance, NO adsorption and activation capacity, active centers, and acidic sites of CuFe2O4 can be improved by enriched oxygen vacancies, contributing to the superior CO-SCR performance. DFT results identified that the adsorption energies of reactants were elevated and the intermediate reaction energy barriers were decreased with more oxygen vacancies. Furthermore, the CO-SCR reaction pathways with CuFe2O4 catalyst were proposed according to in-situ test results: it follows the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (LH) and Eley-Rideal (ER) mechanisms in the low-temperature range (50–250 ℃) and the Marse-van-Krevelen (Mvk) mechanism in the high-temperature range (≥250 ℃). Overall, this work highlights the bright prospects of oxygen vacancies on the modification of CO-SCR catalysts.

Structure-led manifestation of photocatalytic activity in magnetically recoverable spinel CuFe2O4 nanoparticles and its application in degradation of industrial effluent dyes under solar light

An efficient removal of the photocatalysts used in the decontamination of water is crucial after its application beside its expected visible light sensitive activities. This study presents the synthesis of magnetically separable CuFe2O4 nanoparticles (CFNPs) with enhanced photoactivity under AM 1.5 G sunlight. A simple two-step process involving co-precipitation and hydrothermal treatment is employed, with subsequent annealing at temperatures from 200 °C to 1000 °C to synthesize the CFNPs. The characteristic features of the highest photoactive tetragonal phase of CFNP are confirmed by powder XRD studies with Rietveld refinement. This scheme strategically controls the growth of a highly photoactive tetragonal phase with predominant (224) facets over other less active facets in cubic CuFe2O4. Mott–Schottky analysis confirms the p-type semiconducting nature of CFNPs. A favourable direct optical band gap of 1.73 eV, as well as photoluminescence emission quenching for visible photons, show that the (224) oriented CFNPs are good photocatalysts in the visible spectrum with demonstrated organic dye degradations, including methylene blue and others. A density functional theory-based approach validates that the adsorption of such dye is thermodynamically more favourable on (224) facets of CuFe2O4 to facilitate the redox action by the excitons.

Chemical looping reforming with water splitting (CLRWS) for syngas and hydrogen coproduction using the ternary metal-oxides (Ca-Fe-Cu–O) as oxygen carriers

In this work, chemical looping reforming with water splitting (CLRWS) using ternary metal oxides (Ca-Fe-Cu–O) as oxygen carrier (OC) was investigated for syngas and hydrogen coproduction. The introduction of Cu into the Ca-Fe-O system results in the formation of the main crystalline phases, which include Ca2Fe2O5, CuFe2O4, and a small amount of CaO. The presence of Cu enhances the oxygen transfer capacity (OTC) and reduces the reduction temperature of Ca-Fe-O oxides. When the ratio of Ca:Cu:Fe equals 0.5:0.5:2, the Ca0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4 exhibited the highest hydrogen yield and purity of 9.15 mmol/(g OC) and 96.80 %, respectively. The syngas yield, purity and fuel conversion were 66.48 mol/L, 74.76 % and 83.12 %, respectively. It can be attributed to the suitable ratio of brownmillerite Ca2Fe2O5 and the spinel CuFe2O4 in Ca0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4. The crystal phases of Ca2Fe2O5 and CuFe2O4 exhibit a synergistic effect in the Ca-Fe-Cu–O system, the formation of CuFe2O4 enhances the lattice oxygen activity, while the brownmillerite-structured Ca2Fe2O5 inhibits the sintering and agglomeration of CuFe2O4 due to the morphology effect. The Ca0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4 showed almost stable reactivity after 10 cycles.

Efficient Homolytic Cleavage of H2O2 on Hydroxyl-Enriched Spinel CuFe2O4 with Dual Lewis Acid Sites.

Traditional H2O2 cleavage mediated by macroscopic electron transfer (MET) not only has low utilization of H2O2, but also sacrifices the stability of catalysts. We present a non-redox hydroxyl-enriched spinel (CuFe2O4) catalyst with dual Lewis acid sites to realize the homolytic cleavage of H2O2. The results of systematic experiments, in situ characterizations, and theoretical calculations confirm that tetrahedral Cu sites with optimal Lewis acidity and strong electron delocalization can synergistically elongate the O-O bonds (1.47 Å → 1.87 Å) in collaboration with adjacent bridging hydroxyl (another Lewis acid site). As a result, the free energy of H2O2 homolytic cleavage is decreased (1.28 eV → 0.98 eV). H2O2 can be efficiently split into ⋅OH induced by hydroxyl-enriched CuFe2O4 without MET, which greatly improves the catalyst stability and the H2O2 utilization (65.2 %, nearly 2 times than traditional catalysts). The system assembled with hydroxyl-enriched CuFe2O4 and H2O2 affords exceptional performance for organic pollutant elimination. The scale-up experiment using a continuous flow reactor realizes long-term stability (up to 600 mL), confirming the tremendous potential of hydroxyl-enriched CuFe2O4 for practical applications.

Mn-regulated CuFe2O4 spinel based active component continuous exsolution catalyst for long-term degradation of tetracycline

The development of catalysts with fast reaction rates and long service life remains a significant challenge in advanced oxidation processes. The research applied the property that Mn could occupy both tetrahedral and octahedral sites in the spinel structure. By adjusting Mn composition engineering in CuFe2O4, it could regulate the proportion of active components in spinel constituents and form the hybrid catalyst of Mn-doped CuFe2O4/CuO. CuFe2O4/CuO biphasic interface caused lattice distortion, effectively enhancing the interface interaction, which was conducive to the gradual exsolution and redeposition of the active component CuFe2O4 during the catalytic reaction process, thereby prolonging the service life of the catalyst. Within 30 min, the removal rate of tetracycline hydrochloride was 97.3%, while peroxymonosulfate (PMS) stoichiometric efficiency was 0.12. The degradation effect of the powder catalyst only decreased by 7.3% after 6 cycles. In the self-made fixed bed, the mass ratio of sodium alginate solidified catalyst to sewage treatment capacity could reach 1:33000. These results indicated that Mn doping could effectively improve the catalytic degradation performance of CuFe2O4 and prolong the service life of the catalyst by forming a two-phase interface. Furthermore, sodium alginate curing catalysts could provide new insights into the industrial application of catalysts.

The Influence of Reaction Medium pH on the Structure, Optical, and Mechanical Properties of Nanosized Cu-Fe Ferrite Synthesized by the Sol-Gel Autocombustion Method

Nanoscale mixed ferrites with a spinel structure are highly versatile materials widely employed across diverse fields, including engineering, biomedicine, and ecology. This study explores the influence of pH on the structure, morphology, electrophysical, and mechanical properties of CuFe2O4 spinel, synthesized using the sol-gel self-combustion method. The investigation reveals that the pH level significantly impacts the structure formation, even at the gel formation stage, thereby shaping the subsequent structure and properties of the synthesized ferrite. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis demonstrates that the dominant phase (>90%) corresponds to the cubic spinel phase with the chemical formula CuFe2O4, belonging to the Fd3m space group. Notably, the pH of the reaction medium exerts a profound influence on the distribution of iron and copper ions within the octahedral and tetrahedral sublattices of the spinel structure. This variation in cationic distribution manifests in notable changes in the synthesized ferrite's magnetic, mechanical, and degradation properties. Furthermore, the study delves into the impact of the synthesized CuFe2O4 spinel as a photocatalyst for degrading organic dyes through the photo-Fenton process. It demonstrates that degradation efficiency is closely related to the ferrite's band gap width and particle size. This study aimed to determine how the pH of the reaction medium impacts the structure, morphology, optical, mechanical, and magnetic characteristics of the nanosized ferrites being synthesized. Furthermore, the synthesized materials were evaluated for their photocatalytic abilities in degrading organic dyes in water. The ferrite powders showcased remarkable dye degradation capabilities via the photo-Fenton process. Degradation efficiency largely hinged on the band gap width and the size of the particles. The most notable outcome was achieved with sample P1, which had particle sizes averaging 12.14 nm. By unraveling the complex relationship between pH, structure, and properties, this research enhances our understanding of the design and optimization of nanoscale mixed ferrites.

Fast and Facile Microwave Synthesis of Cubic CuFe2O4 Nanoparticles for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Electrochemical CO2 reduction is a promising strategy for the sustainable synthesis of carbon-based chemicals or fuels such as CO, or CH4.[1] Copper-based materials are of special interest due to their broad substrate scope. While copper itself is the first known metal catalyst able to directly yield CH4, CO, methanol, or C2+ products such as ethanol can also be obtained, e.g. from oxide derived catalysts.[2][3] Another interesting copper oxide is the spinel CuFe2O4, due to its versatile electronic and magnetic properties. Those can be tuned via variations in the cation distribution between octahedral and tetrahedral sites.[4] Changes in the cation distribution, or degree of inversion, can additionally lead to a structural transformation between the cubic and tetragonal form, due to the strong Jahn-Teller effect of Cu2+. Both degree of inversion and structure are strongly dependant on the synthesis conditions.[4]In this contribution we introduce a fast microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis of cubic CuFe2O4. Very short synthesis times of 1 min and low temperatures of 120 °C in ethylene-glycol/water mixtures could be realised, without a loss of phase-purity and no necessity for subsequent thermal treatment.[5] The degree of inversion was found to decrease with increasing synthesis time, whereas the particle size and crystallinity was almost independent of the synthesis conditions. The influence of the synthesis conditions – and thus material properties – on the activity in electrochemical CO2 reduction to CO in 0.1 M KHCO3 was investigated. The best activity was obtained for CuFe2O4 with an intermediate degree of inversion of approx. 0.75, together with a large crystallite size and micro-strain. Since hydrogen was produced as the only side-product, CuFe2O4 can be an interesting candidate for the production of syngas.

Preparation, characterization, and in vitro evaluation of the anticancer activity of Ce3+ doped CuFe2O4 spinel nanoparticles in MCF-7 cell lines

In the present study, we successfully prepared nanoparticles of Ce-doped Copper ferrite, CuCexFe2-xO4(x = 0.00, 0.03, and 0.05), in the nanoscale using the chemical co-precipitation technique. The structure, composition, optical properties, and morphological information of the obtained ferrite nanoparticles (NPs) were analyzed by making use of powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) pattern, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopic (FE-SEM) studies, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic (FT-IR) analysis, and Energy-dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS), and the UV–Vis-NIR Spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity of CuCexFe2-xO4 nanoparticles (NPs) on the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line was evaluated using the MTT assay. The NPs exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity, with lower concentrations (<25 µg/mL) being safe and biocompatible, while higher concentrations reduced cell viability and disrupted L929 fibroblast cell lines. Double staining and flow cytometry experiments revealed that apoptosis is one of the mechanisms by which CuCexFe2-xO4 NPs induce cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells. An increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) was found in the presence NPs. To harness the full potential of this nanoparticle formulation, it is recommended that future investigations encompass a wide range of in vitro and in vivo models. These subsequent studies will significantly contribute to the expanding body of knowledge concerning the synthesis of composite nanoparticle formulations for use as anticancer agents.

Preparation and application of Ag-CuFe2O4 semiconductors rich in oxygen vacancies

Ag metal particles were introduced into spinel CuFe2O4, while propanetriol solution was used to increase the oxygen vacancies (OVs) concentration of the material. 1% Ag-CuFe2O4, 3% Ag-CuFe2O4, and 1% Ag-CuFe2O4-OVs were prepared by gel-sol method. These materials were characterized and tested, and the results showed that Ag particles were successfully introduced into CuFe2O4, and the oxygen vacancy concentration was significantly enhanced. Among them, 3% Ag-CuFe2O4 and 1% Ag-CuFe2O4-OVs achieved the best results in all aspects of the performance tests. The degradation rates of 91.81% and 99.31% were achieved after 180 min in 30 mg/L indole solution at pH 7.0 using 30 mg of catalyst. The effects of catalyst dosage and initial concentration of the solution on the catalytic effect were investigated by selecting a 1% Ag-CuFe2O4-OVs catalyst. Among them, the highest degradation efficiency was achieved at a catalyst dosage of 40 mg, but the degradation efficiency gradually weakened with the increase in catalyst dosage. The catalytic effect decreased to 89.13% after 5 cycles of experiments using a 30 mg catalyst, which proved that the catalyst had good reusability.

Crucial Role of Self‐Exsolved Heterostructured Cermet Nanoparticles in Highly Active Spinel Electrodes for CO2/H2O Co‐Electrolysis

AbstractThe versatility of the spinel (AB2O4) oxides means they are of great interest for a variety of catalysis and energy conversion applications, involving gas reactions and reforming. CuFe2O4 spinel is identified as a highly efficient fuel electrode for CO2/H2O co‐electrolysis due to its promising electrocatalytic activity. To identify the actual active sites, the electrochemical characteristics, composition, chemical state, and microstructure are systematically investigated while optimizing the electrolysis performance by varying the feed gas composition. Markedly enhanced electrolysis current density is achieved under a CO2‐enriched composition of 50%CO2/10%H2O‐Ar. This promising performance is attributed to the in situ exsolution of heterostructural “Cu/Fe3O4” nanoparticles on the parent CuFe2O4 surface during co‐electrolysis. Interestingly, a strong correlation of the electrolysis performance with the amount of the formed heterostructural cermet is observed. The exsolved cermet heterostructure plays a crucial role in CO2/H2O electroreduction, as also confirmed by density‐functional‐theory studies. The self‐exsolved Cu/Fe3O4 nanoparticles present exceptional strength due to a strong interaction between the formed metallic Cu and Fe3O4, enabling the electrode to remain active and stable under such high electrical polarization. The excellent durability and stability of the self‐exsolved heterostructural nanoparticles are clearly confirmed by long‐term operation at high‐working voltage with an outstanding Faradaic efficiency (nearly 100%).

Hydrogen production from municipal solid waste via chemical looping gasification using CuFe2O4 spinel as oxygen carrier: An Aspen Plus modeling

Combined with carbon capture, chemical looping gasification (CLG) provides a clean and carbon-negative approach to converting municipal solid waste (MSW) into high-quality syngas without air separation units. An Aspen Plus simulation of the CLG process with continuous MSW feeding was constructed and investigated in this work. The CuFe2O4 spinel oxygen carrier (OC) was utilized to provide lattice oxygen. This model was validated using the experimental results from the literature to demonstrate its feasibility for CLG of MSW. The effects of gasification temperature, steam-to-municipal solid waste ratio (SMR) and OC mass flow (OCMF) on H2 selectivity were throughout investigated. Results demonstrated that at 750 °C, the H2 selectivity peaked at 51.44%. The H2 selectivity rose from 43.89% to 56.29% when SMR varied from 0.1 to 2.1. Lower OCMF availed H2 production. At 800 °C, SMR of 1.1 and OCMF of 100 kg h−1, 67.85% of the initially introduced H in the CLG process can be recovered as pure H2 by the end, resulting in an energy efficiency of 57.66% based on the low heat value (LHV) of MSW, the electricity consumption and H2. The process consumed 7.93 t/t H2 with a corresponding product cost of 2941.21 USD/t. Additionally, it contributes 66.90% and 66.73% to the overall global warming and acidification potentials of the entire process, respectively. The combined impact of temperature and SMR, while maintaining a constant OCMF, highlights that the temperature within the lower range primarily governs the H2 selectivity. Although both OC and steam can supply oxygen during CLG, their effects on gasification efficiency are diametrically opposed due to their varying oxidation capabilities. Notably, utilizing CuFe2O4 OC, the maximum H2 selectivity of 63.30% was achieved at 700 °C, SMR of 2.1 and OCMF of 100 kg h−1.

In-situ formed CuFe2O4 spinel coating by electroplating method for solid oxide fuel cell interconnect

A protective coating layer on chromium-containing interconnects is critical for preventing chromium diffusion and slowing the increase in area specific resistance (ASR) in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). In the present work, a stoichiometric CuFe2 alloy is successfully electroplated on the surface of SUS 430, and a CuFe2O4 spinel coating is formed through in-situ thermal oxidation. Density functional theory calculations and COMSOL simulations are employed to reveal the mechanism of CuFe2 alloy electroplating. The dense CuFe2O4 coating effectively blocks the outward volatile Cr species and suppresses the ASR increase in a long-term test (at 800 °C in the air for 1000 h). Furthermore, the practical application of CuFe2O4-coated SUS 430 is evaluated using a three-electrode cell, showing much improved durability due to the mitigated chromium poisoning. These results demonstrate that the CuFe2O4 coating significantly reduces the out-migration of Cr species from the interconnects. This work provides guidance on electroplating strategy for the future development of alloy coatings for SOFC interconnects.