Editors: | Vayenas Intl. Symp. / Physical Chemistry and its applications for sustainable development Edited by: F. Kongoli, E. Aifantis, C. Cavalca, A. de Lucas Consuegra, A. Efstathiou, M. Fardis, D. Grigoriou, A. Lemonidou, S.G. Neophytides, Y. Roman, M. Stoukides, M. Sullivan, P. Vernoux, X. Verykios, I. Yentekakis |
Publisher: | Flogen Star OUTREACH |
Publication Year: | 2019 |
Pages: | 249 pages |
ISBN: | 978-1-989820-09-4 |
ISSN: | 2291-1227 (Metals and Materials Processing in a Clean Environment Series) |
High quality H2 can be produced through water electrolysis at low or high temperatures. In this respect, solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) are a promising and fast growing technology [1, 2] for H2O electrolysis above 500°C. SOECs have identical configuration with SOFCs, but reverse operations and currently novel modified Ni-based fuel electrodes are under investigation for H2O, CO2 and H2O+ CO2 electrolysis applications [1, 3].
The presented study focuses on the effect of transition metal elements as dopants of the commercial NiO/GDC powder for the Solid Oxide H2O electrolysis. Specifically, the experimental comparison is between Au [1], Mo and Fe doping. Comparative electrocatalytic measurements with I-V curves and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) analyses are presented in the range of 800-900°C between electrolyte-supported cells with Ni/GDC, 3Au-Ni/GDC [1], 3Mo-Ni/GDC, 3Au-3Mo-Ni/GDC, 2Fe-Ni/GDC and 0.5Fe-Ni/GDC, as the fuel electrode. Complementary physicochemical characterization was also performed both in the form of powders and as half cells with ex-situ and in-situ techniques, including specific redox stability measurements in the presence of H2O.
In summary, the cell comprising the ternary 3Au-3Mo-Ni/GDC electrode and that with 0.5Fe-Ni/GDC performed significantly better compared to the rest. The superior performance of the ternary sample is primarily ascribed to the enrichment of the surface with Au [1] and of the bulk phase with Mo, through the formation of Ni-Au-Mo solid solution [3, 4]. The involved elements act in synergy and modify the physicochemical properties of the electrode, improving the: (i) H2O re-oxidation rate, (ii) electronic conductivity and (iii) electrochemical interface. In regards to Fe-doping, the wt.% content in iron is one key parameter. The 0.5wt.% loading of Fe results in an electrode of similar high performance to that of the Au-Mo-Ni electrode, having the great advantage of not containing gold in its composition.