A group of researchers at Tokyo University of Science has developed a novel perovskite-based anode material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). It can achieve high efficiency at medium temperatures, they claim.
The university sources said this breakthrough could lead to cleaner and more efficient energy technologies. They believe the findings promise advancements in sustainable energy solutions. Perovskite is a calcium titanium oxide mineral named after the Russian mineralogist Lev Perovski.
SOFCs have attracted special attention from the researchers. By operating without the need for a liquid electrolyte, they offer higher safety and are often easier to manufacture, they said. One of their main drawbacks is their high operating temperature. Conventional SOFCs need to be at over 700°C to work properly, reducing their efficiency and power output. The Japanese researchers, including Prof. Tohru Higuchi, have investigated proton-conducting SOFCs (PC-SOFCs), which can operate within a lower temperature range.
The team claims a breakthrough in PC-SOFCs by developing a novel hole-proton mixed-conductor material. Their findings were published in the Journal of the Physical Society of Japan on 18 June.
The material in question is a perovskite-type oxide ceramic with the formula BaCe0.4Pr0.4Y0.2O3−δ (BCPY). These particular dopants, namely Pr (Praseodymium) and Y (Yttrium) ions, were selected based on previous work by members of the research team, who theorised that co-doping with both Pr and Y might lead to high proton-hole mixed conductivity.
Prof. Higuchi said: “The Pt metal electrode used in other fuel cells has issues, such as a large drop in power output because electrochemical reactions occur only at the three-phase interface where the fuel gas/electrode/electrolyte intersect. To solve this issue, a dense membrane with mixed conduction could be useful for improving the performance of PC-SOFC by expanding the electrochemical reaction area.”
