Electrochemical study of lithiated transition metal oxide composite for single layer fuel cell

This study analyzed the effect of various semiconductors of transition metal oxides in modified lithiated NiO on the electrochemical performance of a single layer fuel cell (SLFC). A typical ionic conductor Ce0.8Sm0.2O2−δ (SDC) and three types of semiconductors Li0.3Ni0.6Cu0.07Sr0.03O2−δ (LNCuS), Li0.3Ni0.6Mn0.07Sr0.03O2−δ (LNMnS) and Li0.3Ni0.6Co0.07Sr0.03O2−δ (LNCoS), were the fundamental components of the SLFCs. The components were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). The stability of the synthesized materials was evaluated using thermal gravity analysis (TGA). The ohmic resistances at 500 °C were 0.36, 0.48 and 0.58 Ω cm2 for 6SDC-4LNMnS, 6SDC-4LNCoS and 6SDC-4LNCuS, respectively. Among the three SLFCs, the single cell with 6SDC-4LNMnS achieves the highest power density (422 mW cm−2) but the lowest temperature stability, while the single cell with 6SDC-4LNCuS achieved the lowest power density (331 mW cm−2) but the highest temperature stability during the operation temperature.