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Robust doped BaCeO3-δ electrolyte for IT-SOFCs

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Abstract

Single phase polycrystalline BaZr0.3Ce0.5Y0.1Yb0.1O3 - δ electrolyte material was prepared by solid state reaction route. Rietveld analysis of the XRD data confirms the tetragonal symmetry in the I4/mcm space group with unit cell parameters of a = b = 6.0567(3) Å and c = 8.5831(5) Å. The addition of ZnO as a sintering additive was found to reduce the sintering temperature and enhance both overall sinterability and grain growth. Sintering temperature was reduced by 200–300 °C, and a very high relative density of about 98% was achieved at 1400 °C. Impedance spectroscopy in humidified 5% H2/Ar atmosphere shows that the protonic conductivity at 600 °C was 8.60 × 10−3 S cm−1. Thermal analysis performed in pure CO2 atmosphere shows very good chemical stability up to 1200 °C. Good biaxial flexure strength of 100–200 MPa was reported which makes this material a promising electrolyte material for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs).

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the financial help from the S & T grant no.17. They are a lot grateful to the help and cooperation from JTSI research group, School of Chemistry, University of St-Andrews. One of the authors, M Naeem Khan, is grateful for the Graduate Research Fellowship of Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Advanced Materials and Energy Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tunku Link, Gadong, BE 1410, Brunei Darussalam

    M. Naeem Khan, A.K. Azad & Peter Hing

  2. Department of Physics, Faculty of Arts and Basic Sciences, Balochistan University of Arts and Basic Sciences, Quetta, Baluchistan, Pakistan

    M. Naeem Khan

  3. Faculty of Integrated Technologies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tunku Link, Gadong, BE 1410, Brunei Darussalam

    A.K. Azad

  4. Centre for Advanced Materials, School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST, UK

    C.D. Savaniu & J.T.S. Irvine

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  1. M. Naeem Khan
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Correspondence to A.K. Azad.

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Naeem Khan, M., Azad, A., Savaniu, C. et al. Robust doped BaCeO3-δ electrolyte for IT-SOFCs. Ionics 23, 2387–2396 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-017-2086-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-017-2086-x

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