Materials For High Temperature Fuel Cell Technology
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
This application is a request to renew a platform grant that has provided funding for basic research in the St Andrews' fuel cell programme to further development of the resulting technologies. The work comprises of structural, chemical, thermal and electrochemical characterisation of novel materials relating to a range of important energy technologies. These programmes entail a broad range of approaches from basic atomic scale characterisation through microstructural control and fabrication to device production and testing. A main focus is on understanding the role of microstructure and composition in developing efficient fuel electrodes for utilisation with hydrocarbon containing fuels. We are developing low temperature thin film supported electrolytes and application of such devices for steam electrolysis, with a view to utilising renewable energy to produce hydrogen. New initiatives working on new concepts such as carbon fuel cells and steam electrolysis processes have been successful and are will be further developed in the renewed platform. Other new initiatives such as hydride ion conductors, ammonia fuel cells, photocatalysis using our electrode materials, fuel synthesis and novel cathode concepts have been embarked upon and will be further developed/validated in the renewed platform.This Platform Grant has served as an excellent base on which to build a very active programme of research in fuel cell and related clean energy technologies. It is running in parallel with a series of projects funded by government and industry and has provided a key tool enabling efficient management of such projects. In many cases the start dates have avoided delays of up to one year due to security provided by the Platform Project. To-date 7 researchers have been funded directly by this project, although most of the researchers in the group have benefited at least indirectly from the Platform Project. The Platform Grant has enabled us to create a robust group structure and has greatly strengthened our capability. Publication is running at 15 pa largely in high impact journals including one in Nature.
Organisations
Publications
Zhang Y
(2012)
Directly Imaging Interstitial Oxygen in Silicate Apatite
in Advanced Energy Materials
Yue X
(2012)
Impedance Studies on LSCM/GDC Cathode for High Temperature CO2 Electrolysis
in Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters
Yue X
(2012)
Alternative Cathode Material for CO 2 Reduction by High Temperature Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells
in Journal of The Electrochemical Society
Yue W
(2009)
Mesoporous Monocrystalline TiO 2 and Its Solid-State Electrochemical Properties
in Chemistry of Materials
Yue W
(2009)
Syntheses, Li Insertion, and Photoactivity of Mesoporous Crystalline TiO 2
in Advanced Functional Materials
Yue W
(2011)
Syntheses and proton conductivity of mesoporous Nd2O3-SiO2 and NdOCl-SiO2 composites
in Journal of Materials Science
Yang X
(2008)
(La0.75Sr0.25)0.95Mn0.5Cr0.5O3 as the cathode of solid oxide electrolysis cells for high temperature hydrogen production from steam
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Xu X
(2010)
Proton conductivity of potassium doped barium zirconates
in Journal of Solid State Chemistry
Xu X
(2010)
Intermediate temperature stable proton conductors based upon SnP2O7, including additional H3PO4
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Xu X
(2009)
Proton conductivity of Al(H2PO4)3-H3PO4 composites at intermediate temperature
in Solid State Ionics
Xu X
(2012)
A red metallic oxide photocatalyst.
in Nature materials
Xu X
(2011)
g-C3N4 coated SrTiO3 as an efficient photocatalyst for H2 production in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation
in International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Xie K
(2011)
Direct synthesis of methane from CO2/H2O in an oxygen-ion conducting solid oxide electrolyser
in Energy & Environmental Science
Xie K
(2011)
Electrochemical reduction of CO2 in a proton conducting solid oxide electrolyser
in J. Mater. Chem.
Viana H
(2010)
Characterisation of lower temperature sintered zinc-doped barium calcium niobate proton conducting electrolytes
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Verbraeken MC
(2011)
A structural study of the proton conducting B-site ordered perovskite Ba3Ca1.18Ta1.82O8.73.
in Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal
Verbraeken M
(2009)
Structural and electrical properties of calcium and strontium hydrides
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Verbraeken M
(2011)
Order and disorder in Ca2ND0.90H0.10-A structural and thermal study
in Journal of Solid State Chemistry
Verbraeken M
(2012)
Evaluation of Ca Doped La 0.2 Sr 0.7 TiO 3 as an Alternative Material for Use in SOFC Anodes
in Journal of The Electrochemical Society
TAO S
(2008)
Structural and electrochemical properties of the perovskite oxide Pr0.7Sr0.3Cr0.9Ni0.1O3-d
in Solid State Ionics
Stefan E
(2014)
Structure and properties of MgM x Cr 2-x O 4 (M = Li, Mg, Ti, Fe, Cu, Ga) spinels for electrode supports in solid oxide fuel cells
in J. Mater. Chem. A
Stefan E
(2013)
Development and Performance of MnFeCrO 4 -Based Electrodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
in Advanced Energy Materials
Savaniu C
(2011)
La-doped SrTiO3 as anode material for IT-SOFC
in Solid State Ionics
Savaniu C
(2009)
Reduction studies and evaluation of surface modified A-site deficient La-doped SrTiO3 as anode material for IT-SOFCs
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Sadykov V
(2010)
Design of Anode Materials for IT SOFC: Effect of Complex Oxide Promoters and Pt Group Metals on Activity and Stability in Methane Steam Reforming of Ni/YSZ (ScSZ) Cermets
in Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology
Sadykov V
(2008)
Effect of complex oxide promoters and Pd on activity and stability of Ni/YSZ (ScSZ) cermets as anode materials for IT SOFC
in Catalysis Today
Ruiz-Trejo E
(2012)
Ceramic proton conducting membranes for the electrochemical production of syngas
in Solid State Ionics
Ruiz-Morales J
(2011)
Symmetric and reversible solid oxide fuel cells
in RSC Advances
Ruiz-Morales J
(2008)
Is YSZ stable in the presence of Cu?
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Ruiz Morales J
(2011)
Potenciales materiales de electrodo para Pilas de Combustible de Óxido Sólido simétricas Potential electrode materials for symmetrical Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
in Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Cerámica y Vidrio
Rolle A
(2011)
Optimisation of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) cathode material Ca3Co4O9-d
in Journal of Power Sources
Ren J
(2012)
Modeling a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell as a Storage Device Within AC Power Networks
in Fuel Cells
Randorn C
(2008)
Synthesis of Visible-Light-Activated Yellow Amorphous TiO 2 Photocatalyst
in International Journal of Photoenergy
Randorn C
(2010)
Synthesis and visible light photoactivity of a high temperature stable yellow TiO2 photocatalyst
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Raj E
(2010)
Synthesis and characterization of (Pr0.75Sr0.25)1-xCr0.5Mn0.5O3-d as anode for SOFCs
in Solid State Ionics
Preis W
(2011)
Electrical properties of bulk and grain boundaries of scandia-stabilized zirconia co-doped with yttria and ceria
in Solid State Ionics
Petit C
(2011)
Novel redox reversible oxide, Sr-doped cerium orthovanadate to metavanadate
in J. Mater. Chem.
Peng L
(2013)
Fabrication of anode-supported zirconia thin film electrolyte based core-shell particle structure for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells
in Progress in Natural Science: Materials International
Neagu D
(2010)
Structure and Properties of La 0.4 Sr 0.4 TiO 3 Ceramics for Use as Anode Materials in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
in Chemistry of Materials
Nabae Y
(2008)
Electrochemical oxidation of solid carbon in hybrid DCFC with solid oxide and molten carbonate binary electrolyte
in Energy & Environmental Science
Nabae Y
(2009)
Ni/C Slurries Based on Molten Carbonates as a Fuel for Hybrid Direct Carbon Fuel Cells
in Journal of The Electrochemical Society
Miller D
(2011)
B-site doping of lanthanum strontium titanate for solid oxide fuel cell anodes
in Journal of Power Sources
Magrasó A
(2009)
Preparation of stabilized Gd-doped BaPrO3 materials by Zr substitution
in Ceramics International
Liu G
(2012)
Heteroatom-Modulated Switching of Photocatalytic Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution Preferences of Anatase TiO 2 Microspheres
in Advanced Functional Materials
Lay E
(2008)
Ce-substituted LSCM as new anode material for SOFC operating in dry methane
in Solid State Ionics
Lashtabeg A
(2009)
Structure, Conductivity, and Thermal Expansion Studies of Redox Stable Rutile Niobium Chromium Titanates in Oxidizing and Reducing Conditions
in Chemistry of Materials
Lan R
(2010)
A fuel cell operating between room temperature and 250°C based on a new phosphoric acid based composite electrolyte
in Journal of Power Sources
Lan R
(2012)
Ammonia and related chemicals as potential indirect hydrogen storage materials
in International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Lan R
(2010)
A direct urea fuel cell - power from fertiliser and waste
in Energy & Environmental Science
Description | Some highlights of our activities supported by the Platform grant are nanostructural ripening of impregnated electrodes, in situ exolution of nanocatalysts, very good direct carbon fuel cell performance, a new red metallic photocatalyst and revision of the rolled tubular SOFC design. Important achievements have been made in the search for new oxide anodes for SOFCs with enhanced capability for hydrocarbon oxidation, with a new perovskite (La,Sr)Mn0.5Cr0.5O3 composition demonstrating real potential application. In collaboration with Gorte and Vohs at UPenn, utilising a YSZ electrode skeleton impregnated with Mn-containing Perovskite oxide, stable operation at 700mWcm-2 in dry methane has been achieved, significantly higher than has been reported previously. This high performance is found to be related to the growth of a fine nanostructure in situ under fuel conditions with the nanostructure reverting to a smooth coating under oxidising conditions. Surfaces decorated with uniformly dispersed catalytically active nanoparticles play a key role in many fields including renewable energy and catalysis. We have recently demonstrated that the concept of growing nano-size phases from perovskites can be achieved with a wide range of metals and even oxides when the nonstoichiometry of the perovskite and thus its defect chemistry are carefully tailored. The phenomenon is also demonstrated to be strongly influenced by surface reorganisation characteristics. The generality of this approach means that it can be extended to inspire the formulation of new oxide systems and sophisticated materials with advanced functionality. We have recently developed an important new concept, the Direct Carbon Fuel Cell which leads to the direct utilisation of carbon from biomass and even coal. The DCFC merges Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and MCFC technologies to form a hybrid direct carbon fuel cell based upon an yttrium-stabilised zirconia electrolyte and the group has now demonstrated commercial level performance (800mWcm-2). Good stability of the zirconia is observed during and after fuel cell testing and in corrosion tests under reducing conditions; however, significant intergrain erosion is observed under oxidising conditions The series Sr1-xNbO3-d yields cubic perovskites for 0.1 |
Exploitation Route | Further research |
Sectors | Energy,Environment |
Description | The operation of the Platform also enabled us to strongly engage with EU and especially industrial funding, see below. In terms of staff development all of the Investigators have advanced their careers significantly, including Tao who moved to a Chair at Strathclyde. Those postdocs working on commercially sensitive projects were able to maintain their publication output via partial platform support and key skill researchers were given stability of contract. Researchers have moved to industry appointments, eg Ceres Power, and to Assistant Professor positions in Korea, India, Saudi Arabia and China. |
First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
Sector | Energy |
Impact Types | Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
Title | METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN ELECTRODE CATALYST FROM A PEROVSKITE METAL OXIDE |
Description | The invention relates to a method of producing electrode materials for solid oxide cells which comprises applying an electric potential to a metal oxide which has a perovskite crystal structure. The resultant electrode catalyst exhibits excellent electrochemical performance. The invention extends to the electrode catalyst itself, and to electrodes and solid oxide cells comprising the electrode catalyst. |
IP Reference | CA3030088 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2018 |
Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
Impact | - |