Breaking the traditional interface design: Regular interface engineering enhances efficient proton transfer and long-term stability of proton ceramic electrolyte cells with composite steam electrodes (IMAGE)
Caption
Protonic ceramic electrolysis cells (PCECs) have attracted significant interest due to their efficiency and environmental sustainability in energy conversion. However, their commercial application is hindered by the absence of effective and robust electrodes capable of performing in harsh environments, such as those characterized by high vapor or CO2 concentrations. In this study, we developed a stable steam electrode composed of PrBaMn2O5+δ (PBM) and the durable proton conductor BaZr0.85Y0.15O3-δ (BZY), enhanced with the deposition of PrOx nano-catalysts. The composite electrode exhibited a low polarization resistance (~0.34 Ω·cm² at 600 °C), comparable to conventional cobalt-based electrodes. Additionally, extensive testing over hundreds of hours under severe conditions revealed exceptional durability, without significant degradation. Notably, the electrode composited with cube-shaped BZY microcrystals and PBM showed a higher proton conductivity of 2.15×10⁻5 S·cm⁻¹ at 500 °C, representing an entire order of magnitude increase compared to the electrode composited with irregular nanosized BZY. Besides, the single cell achieved a superior electrolysis current of 2.0 A cm-2 at 700°C and 1.3 V. These findings demonstrate the superiority of constructing an innovative interface between the mixed ionic-electronic conductor (MIEC) and the proton conductor. Our work presents a promising strategy for the design of durable steam electrodes for PCECs through a rational compositing approach.
Credit
Journal of Advanced Ceramics, Tsinghua University Press
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License
CC BY