Enhancing Oxide Ion Incorporation Kinetics by Nanoscale Yttria-Doped Ceria Interlayers

By Fan, Zeng & Prinz, Fritz B.
Published in Nano Letters NULL 2011

Abstract

Interlayering 17.5 nm of Yttria-doped ceria (YDC) thin films between bulk yttria-stabilized-zirconia electrolyte and a porous Pt cathode enhanced the performance of low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells. The added YDC interlayer (14.11% doped Y2O3) was fabricated by atomic layer deposition and reduced the cathode/electrolyte interfacial resistances while increasing the exchange current density j0 by a factor of 4 at operating temperatures between 300 -500 °C. Tafel plots and the fitted impedance data suggest that the charge transfer coefficient α of interlayered SOFCs was 1.25 times higher, and the electrode/interfacial activation energy was reduced from 0.85 to 0.76 eV.

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