NOVEL ELECTRODE MATERIALS FOR LOW-TEMPERATURE SOLID-OXIDE FUEL CELLS

Composite electrodes consisting of silver and bismuth vanadates exhibit remarkable catalytic activity for oxygen reduction at 500-550 C and greatly reduce the cathode-electrolyte (doped ceria) resistances of low temperature SOFCs, down to about 0.53 {Omega}cm{sup 2} at 500 C and 0.21 {Omega}cm{sup 2} at 550 C. The observed power densities of 231, 332, and 443 mWcm{sup -2} at 500, 525 and 550 C, respectively, make it possible to operate SOFCs at temperatures about 500 C. Using in situ potential dependent FTIR emission spectroscopy, we have found evidence for two, possibly three distinct di-oxygen species present on the electrode surface. We have successfully identified which surface oxygen species is present under a particular electrical or chemical condition and have been able to deduce the reaction mechanisms. This technique will be used to probe the gas-solid interactions at or near the TPB and on the surfaces of mixed-conducting electrodes in an effort to understand the molecular processes relevant to the intrinsic catalytic activity. Broad spectral features are assigned to the polarization-induced changes in the optical properties of the electrode surface layer. The ability of producing vastly different microstructures and morphologies of the very same material is critical to the fabrication of functionally graded electrodes for solid-state electrochemical devices, such as SOFCs and lithium batteries. By carefully adjusting deposition parameters of combustion CVD, we have successfully produced oxide nano-powders with the size of 30 {approx} 200 nm. Porous films with various microstructures and morphologies are also deposited on several substrates by systematic adjustment of deposition parameters. Symmetrical cells were fabricated by depositing cathode materials on both sides of GDC electrolytes