RESUMEN
Although nanoengineering of electrodes opens up the way to the development of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) with improved performance, the practical implementation of such advances in cells suitable for widespread use remains a challenge. Here, the demonstration of large-area, commercially relevant SOFCs with two nanoengineered electrodes that display excellent performance is reported. The self-assembled nanocomposite La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-δ and Co3O4 is strategically designed and deposited into the well-interconnected Ce0.9Gd0.1O2-δ backbone as a cathode to enable an ultra-large electrochemically active region. The nanometer-scale Ce0.8Gd0.2O2-δ is deposited into a conventional Ni/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) anode to provide more active oxygen exchange kinetics and electronic conductivity compared to YSZ. The resulting nanoengineered cell with an effective size of 4 cm × 4 cm delivers a remarkable power output of 19.2 W per single cell at 0.6 V and 750 °C. These advancements have potential to facilitate the future development of high-performance SOFCs at a large scale by nanoengineering of electrodes and are expected to pave the way for the commercialization of this technology.
RESUMEN
The transportation sector is undergoing a technology shift from internal combustion engines to electric motors powered by secondary Li-based batteries. However, the limited range and long charging times of Li-ion batteries still hinder widespread adoption. This aspect is particularly true in the case of heavy freight and long-range transportation, where solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer an attractive alternative as they can provide high-efficiency and flexible fuel choices. However, the SOFC technology is mainly used for stationary applications owing to the high operating temperature, low volumetric power density and specific power, and poor robustness towards thermal cycling and mechanical vibrations of conventional ceramic-based cells. Here, we present a metal-based monolithic fuel cell design to overcome these issues. Cost-effective and scalable manufacturing processes are employed for fabrication, and only a single heat treatment is required, as opposed to multiple thermal treatments in conventional SOFC production. The design is optimised through three-dimensional multiphysics modelling, nanoparticle infiltration, and corrosion-mitigating treatments. The monolithic fuel cell stack shows a power density of 5.6 kW/L, thus, demonstrating the potential of SOFC technology for transport applications.
RESUMEN
Despite various advantages of high-temperature solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) over their low-temperature competitors, the insufficient long-term durability has prevented the commercialization of SOECs. Here, we address this challenge by employing two nanoengineered electrodes. The O2 electrode consists of a La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-δ (LSC) and Gd,Pr-co-doped CeO2 (CGPO) nanocomposite coating deposited on a Gd-doped CeO2 (CGO) scaffold, and the H2 electrode comprises a Ni/yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrode modified with a nanogranular CGO coating. The resulting cell with an active area of 4 × 4 cm2 exhibits a current density exceeding 1.2 A cm-2 at 1.3 V and 750 °C for steam electrolysis while also offering excellent long-term durability at 1 A cm-2 with a high steam-to-hydrogen conversion of â¼56%. We further unravel the degradation mechanism of the most commonly used Ni/YSZ electrode under these conditions and describe the mitigation of the discussed mechanism on our nanoengineered electrode. Our findings demonstrate the potential of designing robust SOECs by nanoengineering electrodes through infiltration and have significant implications for the practical integration of SOEC technology in the future sustainable energy system.