High-performance intermediate temperature fuel cells of new SrCe0.9Yb0.1O3−α-inorganic salt composite electrolytes

• Novel dense SrCe0.9Yb0.1O3−α-inorganic salt composites were prepared.
• SEM images indicate that the composites are sufficiently dense.
• The highest conductivity of SCY-NK in dry N2 is observed to be 0.12 S cm−1 at 700 °C.
• H2/O2 fuel cell of SCY-NK gets the maximum power density of 425 mW cm−2 at 700 °C.

In this study, novel dense SrCe0.9Yb0.1O3−α-(Na/K)Cl (SCY-NK), SrCe0.9Yb0.1O3−α-(Li/K)2CO3 (SCY-LK) and SrCe0.9Yb0.1O3−αNaClCaCl2 (SCY-NC) composite electrolytes were synthesized at lower temperature. The result of SEM images indicates that the composites are sufficiently dense. The highest conductivities are observed to be 1.2 × 10−1 S cm−1 for SCY-NK at 700 °C, 1.0 × 10−1 S cm−1 for SCY-LK at 600 °C and 3.3 × 10−2 S cm−1 for SCY-NC at 600 °C, respectively. The log σ ～ log (pO2) plots result indicates that the composites are almost pure ionic conductors under hydrogen-containing atmosphere. The H2/O2 fuel cells using the SCY-NK, SCY-LK and SCY-NC as electrolytes generate the maximum power densities of 425 mW cm−2 at 700 °C, 256 mW cm−2 at 600 °C and 133 mW cm−2 at 600 °C, correspondingly.

The H2/O2 fuel cell using the SrCe0.9Yb0.1O3−α-(Na/K)Cl, SrCe0.9Yb0.1O3−αLi/K)2CO3 and SrCe0.9Yb0.1O3−αNaClCaCl2 as electrolytes generate the maximum power densities of 425 mW cm−2 at 700 °C, 256 mW cm−2 at 600 °C and 133 mW cm−2 at 600 °C, correspondingly.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide