New Strategy for Boosting Cathodic Performance of Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cells Through Incorporating a Superior Hydronation Second Phase

Abstract

For protonic ceramic fuel cells, it is key to develop material with high intrinsic activity for oxygen activation and bulk proton conductivity enabling water formation at entire electrode surface. However, a higher water content which benefitting for the increasing proton conductivity will not only dilute the oxygen in the gas, but also suppress the O₂ adsorption on the electrode surface. Herein, a new electrode design concept is proposed, that may overcome this dilemma. By introducing a second phase with high-hydrating capability into a conventional cobalt-free perovskite to form a unique nanocomposite electrode, high proton conductivity/concentration can be reached at low water content in atmosphere. In addition, the hydronation creates additional fast proton transport channel along the two-phase interface. As a result, high protonic conductivity is reached, leading to a new breakthrough in performance for proton ceramic fuel cells and electrolysis cells devices among available air electrodes.

Keywords

cathode / high-hydrating capability / proton conductivity / protonic ceramic fuel cells

References

[1] E. D. Wachsman, K. T. Lee, Science 2011, 334, 935.

[2] N. Q. Minh, J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 1993, 76, 563.

[3] T. Hibino, A. Hashimoto, T. Inoue, J. I. Tokuno, S. I. Yoshida, M. Sano, Science 2000, 288, 2031.

[4] G. Yang, C. Su, H. Shi, Y. Zhu, W. Zhou, Z. Shao, Energy Fuel 2020, 34, 15169.

[5] S. Joo, C. Lim, O. Kwon, L. Zhang, J. Zhou, J. Q. Wang, H. Y. Jeong, Y. W. Sin, S. Choi, G. Kim, Mater. Rep. Energy 2021, 1, 100021.

[6] A. Belotti, J. Liu, A. Curcio, J. Wang, Z. Wang, E. Quattrocchi, M. B. Effat, F. Ciucci, Mater. Rep. Energy 2021, 1, 100018.

[7] M. Yashima, T. Tsujiguchi, Y. Sakuda, Y. Yasui, Y. Zhou, K. Fujii, S. Torii, T. Kamiyama, S. J. Skinner, Nat. Commun. 2021, 12, 556.

[8] S. Li, J. T. Irvine, Solid State Ionics 2021, 361, 115571.

[9] A. Seong, J. Kim, D. Jeong, S. Sengodan, M. Liu, S. Choi, G. Kim, Adv. Sci. 2021, 8, 2004099.

[10] Y. Xie, N. Shi, D. Huan, W. Tan, J. Zhu, X. Zheng, H. Pan, R. Peng, C. Xia, ChemSusChem 2018, 11, 3423.

[11] M. Ni, Z. Shao, Science 2020, 369, 138.

[12] H. Ding, W. Wu, C. Jiang, Y. Ding, W. Bian, B. Hu, P. Singh, C. J. Orme, L. Wang, Y. Zhang, D. Ding, Nat. Commun. 2020, 11, 1907.

[13] W. Wu, H. Ding, Y. Zhang, Y. Ding, P. Katiyar, P. K. Majumdar, Adv. Sci. 2018, 5, 1800360.

[14] C. Duan, J. Tong, M. Shang, S. Nikodemski, M. Sanders, S. Ricote, A. Almansoori, R. O’Hayre, Science 2015, 349, 1321.

[15] C. Duan, R. J. Kee, H. Zhu, C. Karakaya, Y. Chen, S. Ricote, A. Jarry, E. J. Crumlin, D. Hook, R. Braun, N. P. Sullivan, R. O’Hayre, Nat. Commun. 2018, 557, 217.

[16] Z. Shao, S. M. Haile, Nature 2004, 431, 170.

[17] L. Chong, J. Wen, J. Kubal, F. G. Sen, J. Zou, J. Greeley, M. Chan, H. Barkholtz, W. Ding, D. J. Liu, Science 2018, 362, 1276.

[18] X. Tian, X. Zhao, Y. Q. Su, L. Wang, H. Wang, D. Dang, B. Chi, H. Liu, E. J. M. Hensen, X. W. Lou, B. Y. Xia, Science 2019, 366, 850.

[19] R. Lan, S. Tao, Sci. Adv. 2016, 2, e1600772.

[20] A. Hauch, R. Küngas, P. Blennow, A. B. Hansen, J. B. Hansen, B. V. Mathiesen, M. B. Mogensen, Science 2020, 370, eaba6118.

[21] J. F. Shin, W. Xu, M. Zanella, K. Dawson, S. N. Savvin, J. B. Claridge, M. J. Rosseinsky, Nat. Energy 2017, 2, 16214.

[22] Y. Chen, B. deGlee, Y. Tang, Z. Wang, B. Zhao, Y. Wei, L. Zhang, S. Yoo, K. Pei, J. H. Kim, Y. Ding, P. Hu, F. F. Tao, M. Liu, Nat. Energy 2018, 3, 1042.

[23] S. Choi, C. J. Kucharczyk, Y. Liang, X. Zhang, I. Takeuchi, H. I. Ji, S. M. Haile, Nat. Energy 2018, 3, 202.

[24] Y. Wu, B. Zhu, M. Huang, L. Liu, Q. Shi, M. Akbar, C. Chen, J. Wei, J. F. Li, L. R. Zheng, J. S. Kim, H. B. Song, Science 2020, 369, 184.

[25] J. Garcia-Barriocanal, A. Rivera-Calzada, M. Varela, Z. Sefrioui, E. Iborra, C. Leon, S. J. Pennycook, J. Santamaria, Science 2008, 321, 676.

[26] K. Bae, H. S. Noh, D. Y. Jang, J. Hong, H. Kim, K. J. Yoon, J. H. Lee, B. K. Kim, J. H. Shim, J. W. Son, J. Mater. Chem. A 2016, 4, 6395.

[27] L. Gao, Q. Li, L. Sun, T. Xia, L. Huo, H. Zhao, J. C. Grenier, J. Mater. Chem. A 2018, 6, 15221.

[28] R. Zohourian, R. Merkle, G. Raimondi, J. Maier, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2018, 28, 1801241.

[29] G. Yang, C. Su, Y. Chen, F. Dong, M. O. Tade, Z. Shao, J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 2015, 35, 2531.

[30] L. Yang, S. Wang, K. Blinn, M. Liu, Z. Liu, Z. Cheng, M. Liu, Science 2009, 326, 126.

[31] I. Yanase, S. Onozawa, Y. Ohashi, T. Takeuchi, Powder Technol. 2019, 348, 43.

[32] Y. Meng, S. Wang, K. Blinn, M. Liu, Z. Liu, Z. Cheng, M. Liu, J. Mater. Sci. 2019, 54, 9291.

[33] C. Zhou, J. Sunarso, Y. Song, J. Dai, J. Zhang, B. Gu, W. Zhou, Z. Shao, J. Mater. Chem. A 2019, 7, 13265.

[34] H. Wang, X. Wang, B. Meng, X. Tan, K. S. Loh, J. Sunarso, S. Liu, J. Ind. Eng. Chem. 2018, 60, 297.

[35] X. Wu, Y. Guo, Z. Sun, F. Xie, D. Guan, J. Dai, F. Yu, Z. Hu, Y.-C. Huang, C.-W. Pao, J.-L. Chen, W. Zhou, Z. Shao, Nat. Commun. 2021, 12, 660.

[36] S. Jiang, Z. Zhang, N. Zhang, Y. Huan, Y. Gong, M. Sun, J. Shi, C. Xie, P. Yang, Q. Fang, H. Li, L. Tong, D. Xie, L. Gu, P. Liu, Y. Zhang, Nano Res. 2018, 11, 1787.

[37] D. Guan, G. Ryu, Z. Hu, J. Zhou, C. L. Dong, Y. C. Huang, K. Zhang, Y. Zhong, A. C. Komarek, M. Zhou, X. Wu, C. W. Pao, C. T. Chen, W. Zhou, Z. Shao, Nat. Commun. 2020, 11, 3376.

[38] S. Agrestini, K. Chen, C. Y. Kuo, L. Zhao, H. J. Lin, C. T. Chen, A. Rogalev, P. Ohresser, T. S. Chan, S. C. Weng, A. C. Komarek, K. Yamaura, M. W. Haverkort, Z. Hu, L. H. Tjeng, Phys. Rev. B 2019, 100, 014443.

[39] G. Chen, Z. Hu, Y. Zhu, Z. G. Chen, Y. Zhong, H. J. Lin, C. T. Chen, L. H. Tjeng, W. Zhou, Z. Shao, J. Mater. Chem. A 2018, 6, 9854.

[40] S. Song, J. Zhou, X. Su, Y. Wang, J. Li, L. Zhang, G. Xiao, C. Guan, R. Liu, S. Chen, H. J. Lin, S. Zhang, J. Q. Wang, Energy Environ. Sci. 2018, 11, 2945.

[41] S. Paul, S.-J. Choi, H. J. Kim, Energy Fuel 2020, 34, 10067.

[42] N. N. Krishnan, N. M. H. Duong, A. Konovalova, J. H. Jang, H. S. Park, H. J. Kim, A. Roznowska, A. Michalak, D. Henkensmeier, J. Mater. Sci. 2020, 614, 118494.

[43] Y. Zhang, B. Chen, D. Guan, M. Xu, R. Ran, M. Ni, W. Zhou, R. O’Hayre, Z. Shao, Nature 2021, 591, 246.

[44] J. H. Kim, J. Hong, D.-K. Lim, S. Ahn, J. Kim, J. K. Kim, D. H. Oh, S. H. Jeon, S.-J. Song, W. C. Jung, Energy Environ. Sci. 2022, 15, 1097.

[45] J. Liu, J. K. Kim, Y. Wang, H. Kim, A. Belotti, B. Koo, Z. Wang, W. C. Jung, F. Ciucci, Energy Environ. Sci. 2022, 15, 4069.

[46] C. Zhou, X. Shen, D. Liu, J. Cui, Y. Yi, M. Fei, J. Zhou, L. Zhang, R. Ran, M. Xu, W. Zhou, Z. Shao, J. Power Sources 2022, 530, 231321.

[47] C. Zhou, D. Liu, M. Fei, X. Wang, R. Ran, M. Xu, W. Wang, W. Zhou, R. O’Hayre, Z. Shao, J. Power Sources 2023, 556, 232403.

[48] X. Wang, W. Li, C. Zhou, M. Xu, Z. Hu, C.-W. Pao, W. Zhou, Z. Shao, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2023, 15, 1339.

[49] C. Duan, R. Kee, H. Zhu, N. Sullivan, L. Zhu, L. Bian, D. Jennings, R. O’Hayre, Nat. Energy 2019, 4, 230.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2023 The Authors. Energy & Environmental Materials published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Zhengzhou University.