Facile synthesis of ceria-based composite oxide materials by combustion for high-performance solid oxide fuel cells. Issue 15 (1st August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Khan, Muhammad Ajmal; Enam-Ul-Haq, ; Javed, Muhammad Sufyan; Xu, Cheng; Ahmad Shah, Syed Shoaib; Nazir, Muhammad Altaf; Imran, Muhammad; Assiri, Mohammed A.; Ahmad, Awais; Hussain, Shahid
• Is Part Of: Ceramics international. Volume 47:Issue 15(2021)
• Page Start: 22035
• Page End: 22041
• Publication Date: 2021-08-01
• Subjects: Electrolytes -- Complexing agent -- Semi-conducting -- Solid oxide fuel cell; Ceramics -- Periodicals; Céramique industrielle -- Périodiques; Ceramics; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 666
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2021.04.223
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-8842

Abstract

Abstract: This article proposes the preparation of promising oxide materials with a broad range of applications as electrolytic materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The oxide materials, namely, samarium-doped ceria Sm0.2 Ce0.8 O (SDC), gadolinium-doped ceria Gd0.2 Ce0.8 O (GDC), and calcium-doped ceria Ca0.2 Ce0.8 O (CDC), were prepared through the conventional combustion method with glycerol as a complexing agent. The thermal behavior of the materials was examined through thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry measurements, and their structural and morphological properties were analyzed via X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of the metal oxide group in the range of 400–1500 cm −1 . Two probe methods were used for electrical measurements. The XRD patterns obtained confirmed that the materials have cubic fluorite structures with an average crystallite size in the range of 26.8–44.7 nm. The ionic conductivities of the ceria samples were measured in the temperature between 300 and 700 °C. The samples consistently showed semiconducting behavior, with SDC exhibiting the highest ionic conductivity of 8.32 × 10 −3 S/cm. A maximum power density of 265 mW/cm 2 was recorded at 650 °C when SDC was used as an electrolyte. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Ceria-based composite oxide materials were synthesized by the facile sol-gel combustion method. Glycerol is used as a complexing agent to enhance the reaction rate. SDC shows the highest ionic conductivity 8.32 × 10 −3 S/cm in the range of 400–700 °C. Maximum performance 280 mW/cm 2 was recorded at 650 °C for SDC electrolyte.