Ln2MO4 cathode materials for solid oxide fuel cells

Synthesis and Properties of the Gallium-Containing Ruddlesden-Popper Oxides with High-Entropy B-Site Arrangement

For the first time, the possibility of obtaining B-site disordered, Ruddlesden-Popper type, high-entropy oxides has been proven, using as an example the LnSr(Co,Fe,Ga,Mn,Ni)O₄ series (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, or Gd). The materials were synthesized using the Pechini method, followed by sintering at a temperature of 1200 °C. The XRD analysis indicated the single-phase, I4/mmm structure of the Pr-, Nd-, and Sm-based materials, with a minor content of secondary phase precipitates in La- and Gd-based materials. The SEM + EDX analysis confirms the homogeneity of the studied samples. Based on the oxygen non-stoichiometry measurements, the general formula of LnSr(Co,Fe,Ga,Mn,Ni)O_4+δ, is established, with the content of oxygen interstitials being surprisingly similar across the series. The temperature dependence of the total conductivity is similar for all materials, with the highest conductivity value of 4.28 S/cm being reported for the Sm-based composition. The thermal expansion coefficient is, again, almost identical across the series, with the values varying between 14.6 and 15.2 × 10^-6 K^-1. The temperature stability of the selected materials is verified using the in situ high-temperature XRD. The results indicate a smaller impact of the lanthanide cation type on the properties than has typically been reported for conventional Ruddlesden-Popper type oxides, which may result from the high-entropy arrangement of the B-site cations.

Correlation between Structural and Transport Properties of Ca-Doped La Nickelates and Their Electrochemical Performance

This work presents the results from a study of the structure and transport properties of Ca-doped La2NiO4+δ. La2−xCaxNiO4+δ (x = 0–0.4) materials that were synthesized via combustion of organic-nitrate precursors and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), in situ XRD using synchrotron radiation, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and isotope exchange of oxygen with C18O2. The structure was defined as orthorhombic (Fmmm) for x = 0 and tetragonal (I4/mmm) for x = 0.1–0.4. Changes that occurred in the unit cell parameters and volume as the temperature changed during heating were shown to be caused by the excess oxygen loss. Typical for Ruddlesden–Popper phases, oxygen mobility and surface reactivity decreased as the Ca content was increased due to a reduction in the over-stoichiometric oxygen content with the exception of x = 0.1. This composition demonstrated its superior oxygen transport properties compared to La2NiO4+δ due to the enhanced oxygen mobility caused by structural features. Electrochemical data obtained showed relatively low polarization resistance for the electrodes with a low Ca content, which correlates well with oxygen transport properties.

Superior Performance as Cathode Material for Intermediate-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells of the Ruddlesden-Popper n = 2 Member Eu2SrCo0.50Fe1.50O7-δ with Low Cobalt Content

The effects of the contents of iron and cobalt on the crystal structure, oxygen content, thermal expansion coefficient, and electrical-electrochemical properties of materials Eu₂SrCo_xFe_2-xO_7-δ (x = 0.50 and 1.00) are reported. These oxides are well-ordered new members of the Ruddlesden-Popper series (Eu,Sr)_n+1(Co,Fe)_nO_3n+1 system with n = 2 as determined by selected area electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies. The two materials are semiconductors of p-type, with much higher total conductivity under working conditions for the low cobalt compound, Eu₂SrCo_0.50Fe_1.50O_7-δ. Composite cathodes prepared with this oxide present much lower area-specific resistance values (0.08 Ω·cm² at 973 K in air) than composites containing Eu₂SrCo_1.00Fe_1.00O_7-δ (1.15 Ω·cm²). This significant difference is related to the much higher total conductivity and a sufficiently high content of oxygen vacancies in the Fe-rich phase. The excellent electrochemical performance of Eu₂SrCo_0.50Fe_1.50O_7-δ with low cobalt content, which shows one of the lowest area-specific resistance reported so far for a Ruddlesden-Popper oxide, makes it a good candidate for application as a cathode material for solid oxide fuel cells at intermediate temperatures in real devices.

Compositional Engineering of a La1-xBaxCoO3-δ-(1-a) BaZr0.9Y0.1O2.95 (a = 0.6, 0.7, 0.8 and x = 0.5, 0.6, 0.7) Nanocomposite Cathodes for Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cells

Compositionally engineered a La1-xBaxCoO3-δ-(1-a) BaZr0.9Y0.1O2.95 (a = 0.6, 0.7, 0.8 and x = 0.5, 0.6, 0.7) (LBZ) nanocomposite cathodes were prepared by oxidation driven in situ exsolution of a single-phase material deposited on a BaZr0.9Y0.1O2.95 electrolyte. The processing procedure of the cathode was optimized by reducing the number of thermal treatments as the single-phase precursor was deposited directly on the electrolyte. The exsolution and firing of the cathodes occurred in one step. The electrochemical performance of symmetrical cells with the compositionally engineered cathodes was investigated by impedance spectroscopy in controlled atmospheres. The optimized materials processing gave web-like nanostructured cathodes with superior electrochemical performance for all compositions. The area specific resistances obtained were all below 12 Ω·cm2 at 400 °C and below 0.59 Ω·cm2 at 600 °C in 3% moist synthetic air. The resistances of the nominal 0.6 La0.5Ba0.5CoO3-δ-0.4 BaZr0.9Y0.1O2.95 and 0.8 La0.5Ba0.5CoO3-δ-0.2 BaZr0.9Y0.1O2.95 composite cathodes were among the lowest reported for protonic ceramic fuel cells cathodes in symmetrical cell configuration with ASR equal to 4.04 and 4.84 Ω·cm2 at 400 °C, and 0.21 and 0.27 Ω·cm2 at 600 °C, respectively.

High-Performance La0.5Ba0.5Co1/3Mn1/3Fe1/3O3−δ-BaZr1−zYzO3−δ Cathode Composites via an Exsolution Mechanism for Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cells

A novel exsolution process was used to fabricate complex all-oxide nanocomposite cathodes for Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cells (PCFCs). The nanocomposite cathodes with La0.5Ba0.5Co1/3Mn1/3Fe1/3O3−δ-BaZr1−zYzO3−δ nominal composition were prepared from a single-phase precursor via an oxidation-driven exsolution mechanism. The exsolution process results in a highly nanostructured and intimately interconnected percolating network of the two final phases, one proton conducting (BaZr1−zYzO3−δ) and one mixed oxygen ion and electron conducting (La0.5Ba0.5Co1/3Mn1/3Fe1/3O3−δ), yielding excellent cathode performance. The cathode powder is synthesized as a single-phase cubic precursor by a modified Pechini route followed by annealing at 700 °C in N2. The precursor phase is exsolved into two cubic perovskite phases by further heat treatment in air. The phase composition and chemical composition of the two phases were confirmed by Rietveld refinement. The electrical conductivity of the composites was measured and the electrochemical performance was determined by impedance spectroscopy of symmetrical cells using BaZr0.9Y0.1O2.95 as electrolyte. Our results establish the potential of this exsolution method where a large number of different cations can be used to design composite cathodes. The La0.5Ba0.5Co1/3Mn1/3Fe1/3O3−δ-BaZr0.9Y0.1O2.95 composite cathode shows the best performance of 0.44 Ω∙cm2 at 600 °C in 3% moist synthetic air.

Impact of Oxygen Deficiency on the Electrochemical Performance of K2 NiF4 -Type (La1-x Srx )2 NiO4-δ Oxygen Electrodes

Perovskite-related (La_1-x Sr_x )₂ NiO_4-δ (x=0.5-0.8) phases were explored for possible use as oxygen electrodes in solid electrolyte cells with a main focus on the effect of oxygen deficiency on the electrocatalytic activity. (La_1-x Sr_x )₂ NiO_4-δ solid solutions were demonstrated to preserve the K₂ NiF₄ -type tetragonal structure under oxidizing conditions. Acceptor-type substitution by Sr is compensated by the formation of oxygen vacancies and electron holes and progressively increases high-temperature oxygen nonstoichiometry, which reaches as high as δ=0.40 for x=0.8 at 950 °C in air. The electrical conductivity of (La_1-x Sr_x )₂ NiO_4-δ ceramics at 500-1000 °C and p(O₂ )≥10^-3  atm is p-type metallic-like. The highest conductivity, 300 S cm^-1 at 800 °C in air, is observed for x=0.6. The average thermal expansion coefficients, (14.0-15.4)×10^-6  K^-1 at 25-900 °C in air, are sufficiently low to ensure the thermomechanical compatibility with common solid electrolytes. The polarization resistance of porous (La_1-x Sr_x )₂ NiO_4-δ electrodes applied on a Ce_0.9 Gd_0.1 O_2-δ solid electrolyte decreases with increasing Sr concentration in correlation with the concentration of oxygen vacancies in the nickelate lattice and the anticipated level of mixed ionic-electronic conduction. However, this is accompanied by increasing reactivity between the cell components and necessitates the microstructural optimization of the electrode materials to reduce the electrode fabrication temperature.

Structural origin of the anisotropic and isotropic thermal expansion of K2NiF4-Type LaSrAlO4 and Sr2TiO4

K2NiF4-type LaSrAlO4 and Sr2TiO4 exhibit anisotropic and isotropic thermal expansion, respectively; however, their structural origin is unknown. To address this unresolved issue, the crystal structure and thermal expansion of LaSrAlO4 and Sr2TiO4 have been investigated through high-temperature neutron and synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction experiments and ab initio electronic calculations. The thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) along the c-axis (αc) being higher than that along the a-axis (αa) of LaSrAlO4 [αc = 1.882(4)αa] is mainly ascribed to the TEC of the interatomic distance between Al and apical oxygen O2 α(Al-O2) being higher than that between Al and equatorial oxygen O1 α(Al-O1) [α(Al-O2) = 2.41(18)α(Al-O1)]. The higher α(Al-O2) is attributed to the Al-O2 bond being longer and weaker than the Al-O1 bond. Thus, the minimum electron density and bond valence of the Al-O2 bond are lower than those of the Al-O1 bond. For Sr2TiO4, the Ti-O2 interatomic distance, d(Ti-O2), is equal to that of Ti-O1, d(Ti-O1) [d(Ti-O2) = 1.0194(15)d(Ti-O1)], relative to LaSrAlO4 [d(Al-O2) = 1.0932(9)d(Al-O1)]. Therefore, the bond valence and minimum electron density of the Ti-O2 bond are nearly equal to those of the Ti-O1 bond, leading to isotropic thermal expansion of Sr2TiO4 than LaSrAlO4. These results indicate that the anisotropic thermal expansion of K2NiF4-type oxides, A2BO4, is strongly influenced by the anisotropy of B-O chemical bonds. The present study suggests that due to the higher ratio of interatomic distance d(B-O2)/d(B-O1) of A2(2.5+)B(3+)O4 compared with A2(2+)B(4+)O4, A2(2.5+)B(3+)O4 compounds have higher α(B-O2), and A2(2+)B(4+)O4 materials exhibit smaller α(B-O2), leading to the anisotropic thermal expansion of A2(2.5+)B(3+)O4 and isotropic thermal expansion of A2(2+)B(4+)O4. The "true" thermal expansion without the chemical expansion of A2BO4 is higher than that of ABO3 with a similar composition.

A study of nonstoichiometric oxides in the Ln-Ni-O (Ln=La, Pr, Nd) system

The non-stoichiometric compositions Ln2-xNiO4-3x/2+d (Ln=La, Pr, Nd, 0£x£0,4) were obtained using coprecipitation method from nitrates solutions by K2CO3 followed by calcination of the obtained blend at 950°С. According to X-ray phase analysis compositions in the range La2NiO4.17 – La1.6NiO3.63 are monophase and crystallize in tetragonal symmetry K2NiF4, space group I4/mmm. Nd2-xNiO4-y and Pr2-xNiO4-y in the range 0£x£0,2 are monophase and have orthorombic and monoclinic(correspodingly) distorted K2NiF4 structure. Samples with 0,2<x£0,4 are polyphase and contain Ln2NiO4 (Ln=Pr, Nd), NiO and rare earth oxides. Electrical conductivity of obtained samples have semiconducting behavior and it is strong depended to nonstoichiometric oxygen content.

Effect of Sr substituted La2−xSrxNiO4+δ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) on oxygen stoichiometry and oxygen transport properties

Mixed effects of reduction of oxygen excess and increasing valence of Ni were found as charge compensation mechanisms for Sr substituted La_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ (x = 0.2 to 0.8). The highest oxygen diffusivity was found for x = 0.2, with an unusual increase when x = 0.8.