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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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Modifying perovskite into A-site deficient electrode: oxygen vacancy enhances surface kinetics and durability, enabling superior performance and stability for protonic ceramic cells.
Clark oxygen electrode calibration by preparation of oxygen standard aqueous solutions, noting repair by ammonium hydroxide treatment
Porous hydrophilic oxygen electrodes behavior, showing electrochemical reaction influence on shape of current density vs voltage curves
Procedure for enhancing operating life and performance of oxygen electrodes in rechargeable metal-oxygen batteries and hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells is discussed. Accumulation of refractory anodic oxide layer and inhibiting effects on oxygen reduction are described. Improvements in service life of batteries by following procedure are explained.
Tissue respiration measurement with membrane- covered oxygen electrode, discussing effects of electrode deterioration and diffusion artifacts on accuracy
Studies were carried out on a number of factors which may influence the behavior of the platinum electrocatalyst of oxygen electrodes for use in rechargeable metal-oxygen batteries or hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells. The effects of pretreatments for various potentials and added ionic species, which could be present in such systems, were studied with reguard to: (1) the state of surface oxidation, (2) platinum dissolution, (3) the kinetics of oxygen evolution and reduction (including the role of hydrogen peroxide), and (4) changes in porous electrode structure. These studies were carried out on smooth platinum, platinized platinum, and Teflon-bonded platinum black electrodes in carefully purified electrolyte solutions. The main factors which appear to affect rechargeable oxygen electrode performance and life are: (1) the buildup of a refractory anodic layer on extended cycling, and (2) the dissolution of platinum.
Addressing the challenges posed by inferior electrochemical performance at low temperatures and the uncertain Faradaic efficiency (FE) represents a pivotal undertaking in the development of high performance and efficient proton-conducting solid oxide electrolysis cells (P-SOECs). In this work, a novel oxygen electrode material BaCo0.8Zr0.1Zn0.1O3-d (BCZZ) is first designed and synthesized. At 600 °C, P-SOECs with BCZZ oxygen electrode achieve an electrolysis current density of 1.98 A cm-2 with an ˜90% FE at 1.3 V. Utilizing 1-inch P-SOECs as a reliable platform, the effect of extrinsic operating conditions (i.e., steam concentration, voltage, current density, and temperature) and intrinsic properties of P-SOECs (i.e., electrolyte material and electrolyte thickness) on FE are further systemically investigated, both experimentally and theoretically.
Calibration of Clark oxygen electrode for use in aqueous solutions
Polarization in porous oxygen electrodes
Polarization in porous oxygen electrodes and mass transport in gas phases
Improved oxygen electrode for use in alkaline hydrogen peroxide fuel cells
Solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is a promising technology for high-efficiency energy conversion, enabling the production of hydrogen, syngas, synthetic fuels, and various commodity chemicals. Unlike traditional thermochemical processes, SOECs operate at elevated temperatures (600-850°C), benefiting from favorable thermodynamics and reaction kinetics. This makes them highly energy efficient compared to alkaline or polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolysis technologies. However, despite these advantages, SOECs face significant challenges related to performance degradation over time. A primary issue is the degradation of the oxygen electrode due to strontium (Sr) segregation and impurity poisoning from chromium (Cr) and sulfur (S). This is because the pathway to deposition of Cr and S include the reaction of Cr and S with the segregated SrO at the surface. Sr segregation leads to the formation of insulating compounds such as SrCrO4 and SrSO4, which block active sites, reduce oxygen exchange rates, and compromise the electrode's electrochemical stability. The degradation mechanisms involve complex interactions between the electrode material's surface chemistry, microstructure, and the operating environment. Sr segregation is particularly problematic because it facilitates the deposition of Cr and S impurities, exacerbating performance losses. Addressing these issues is critical to enhancing the durability and economic viability of SOEC technology. The primary goal of this project is to improve the durability and performance of SOECs by controlling the surface composition of the oxygen electrode. This is achieved by suppressing Sr segregation, thereby mitigating impurity poisoning pathways. The project aims to enhance the oxygen exchange rate, improve cell stability, and extend the operational lifespan of SOECs without necessitating major changes to electrode chemistry or stack components.
The best solution to address the critical durability issue of solid oxide electrolytic cells (SOECs) for high-efficiency and high-rate H 2 production is to lower the operating temperature without sacrificing the performance. Developing high performance oxygen electrodes (OEs) is a key to capitalizing this solution. Here, in this paper, we report on a highly active OE for intermediate temperature ZrO 2 -based SOECs without a CeO 2 barrier layer. The new barrier-layer-free (BLF) OE is a composite of two materials, (Bi 0.75 Y 0.25 ) 0.93 Ce 0.07 O 1.5±δ (BYC) that exhibits high oxide-ion conductivity and La 0.8 Sr 0.2 MnO 3 (LSM) that possesses a high electronic conductivity to enable fast oxygen reduction/evolution reactions (ORR/OER). Featuring a microscale porous BYC scaffold decorated with high surface area LSM nanoparticles (NPs), the new BLF-OE exhibited a low area specific resistance (ASR) of 0.10 Ω cm 2 at 650 °C in air. With 50%H 2 -50%H 2 O as a feed to hydrogen electrode (HE) and air to OE, the single cell performance achieved 588 mA cm -2 at 0.80 V in the fuel cell mode and 688 mA cm -2 at 1.30 V in the electrolytic mode at 650 °C. Our in-house testing showed that this level of performance was ~3.5x higher than the cell with the benchmark La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3-δ -Ce 0.9 Gd 0.1 O 2-δ OE. The long-term durability testing under alternating fuel cell and electrolytic modes showed a low degradation rate of 0.10 mA cm -2 h -1 over 550 hours. These encouraging results showed the great promise of the newly developed BYC-LSM to be an excellent OE candidate for intermediate temperature SOECs.
Catalysts prepared and tested for improving oxygen electrode in alkaline hydrox fuel cells
The authors describe the identification and testing of electrocatalysts and supports for the positive electrode of moderate-temperature, single-unit, rechargeable alkaline fuel cells. Recent work on Na(x)Pt3O4, a potential bifunctional catalyst, is described, as well as the application of novel approaches to the development of more efficient bifunctional electrode structures. The three dual-character electrodes considered here showed similar superior performance; the Pt/RhO2 and Rh/RhO2 electrodes showed slightly better performance than the Pt/IrO2 electrode. It is concluded that Na(x)Pt3O4 continues to be a promising bifunctional oxygen electrode catalyst but requires further investigation and development.
Interstitial compounds of transition elements prepared for improving oxygen electrode in alkaline hydrox fuel cell
Preparation of reduced, mixed metals for synthesis of interstitial compounds for increased efficiency of oxygen electrodes in alkaline H2-O2 fuel cells
One of the leading causes for the performance degradation in H 2 -producing solid oxide electrolytic cells (SOECs) is the gradual delamination of oxygen electrode (OE) from the electrolyte under a strong anodic polarization. Identification of the key factor that controls the rate of OE delamination is of paramount importance to achieve long-term stable operation of SOECs. Here we show from thousands of hours of testing data that the exchange current density (i°) of OE can be leveraged as a predictor for the rate of delamination. To obtain i°, we apply DC-biased electrochemical impedance spectroscopy on a three-electrode symmetrical cell to measure polarization resistance (R p ) of OE as a function of current density (i) and time (t). The collected R p -i-t raw data are then converted to overpotential ( η )-i-t, from which i° is extracted from the “low-field” approximation. An analytical relationship between i° and time-to-delamination (TTD) is further established from the established i°-i-t relationship. We show that under a constant anodic polarization current density i, the greater the ratio i/i°, the faster the delamination. Therefore, we conclude that the exchange current density of an OE, i°, can be used to predict the rate of OE degradation in solid oxide-ion electrolyzers.