4.8 Article

Thermal-expansion offset for high-performance fuel cell cathodes

Journal

NATURE
Volume 591, Issue 7849, Pages 246-+

Publisher

NATURE PORTFOLIO
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03264-1

Keywords

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Funding

  1. National Natural Science Foundation of China [21576135, 21878158, 21828801, 52006150]
  2. Jiangsu Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars [BK20170043]
  3. Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions
  4. State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering
  5. Fulbright Foundation Global Scholars Program
  6. US Army Research Office [W911NF-17-540 1-0051]
  7. Research Grant Council University Grants Committee Hong Kong SAR Grant [PolyU 152064/18E]

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This study demonstrates an approach to achieving full thermo-mechanical compatibility between the cathode and other cell components for solid oxide fuel cells. By introducing a thermal-expansion offset and using reactive sintering to form a composite electrode, the research shows high activity and excellent stability of the electrode. The introduction of reactive negative-thermal-expansion components may provide a general strategy for developing fully compatible and highly active electrodes for SOFCs.
One challenge for the commercial development of solid oxide fuel cells as efficient energy-conversion devices isthermo-mechanical instability. Large internal-strain gradients caused by the mismatch in thermal expansion behaviour between different fuel cell components are the main cause of this instability, which can lead to cell degradation, delamination or fracture(1-4). Here we demonstrate an approach to realizing full thermo-mechanical compatibility between the cathode and other cell components by introducing a thermal-expansion offset. We use reactive sintering to combine a cobalt-based perovskite with high electrochemical activity and large thermal-expansion coefficient with a negative-thermal-expansion material, thus forming a composite electrode with a thermal-expansion behaviour that is well matched to that of the electrolyte. A new interphase is formed because of the limited reaction between the two materials in the composite during the calcination process, which also creates A-site deficiencies in the perovskite. As a result, the composite shows both high activity and excellent stability. The introduction of reactive negative-thermal-expansion components may provide a general strategy for the development of fully compatible and highly active electrodes for solid oxide fuel cells.

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